The debate related to the referendum for redefining family in Romania’s Constitution was dominated by serious misinformation campaigns that promoted hate and extremist speech, which has disturbed social peace, president Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday, October 10.

“When social peace is disturbed, the whole society suffers,” he added.

The president also said that culture and education are the main ways in which people can protect themselves from manipulation attempts.

“Only through education and a call to culture can we become more tolerant, to overcome with wisdom and maturity the attempts to split society,” he said.

He made these remarks during a ceremony at the Cotroceni Palace in which two actors of the Jewish Theatre in Bucharest were decorated.

Iohannis was almost absent from the recent referendum debate. He went to vote on Sunday evening, close to the closing of the polls and refused to make any comment on his vote.

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editor@romania-insider.com