Romanian Referendum To Ban Same Sex Marriage Fails On Low Turnout
A referendum to change Romania’s constitution to stop same-sex couples from securing the right to marry has failed after it did not attract enough voters to validate the result.
Data from the national election bureau showed voter turnout stood at 20.4 percent when the polls closed at 1800 GMT, below the 30% required for it to be valid.
The two-day referendum, which cost $40 million, aimed to change the constitution to define marriage as strictly between a man and a woman from the current gender-neutral “spouses.”
Civil society group Coalition for the Family secured 3 million signatures to trigger the vote aimed at preventing gay couples winning the right to marry in the future.
The Coalition received backing from the Orthodox Church and other religions as well as all but one parliamentary party. (puterea.ro)
Ruling Social Democratic Party Praises The „4 Million Romanians” Casting Their Ballot Votes At Referendum
Codrin Stefanescu, deputy secretary general of the ruling Social Democratic Party, said four million Romanians (3,731,704 voters, ed.n.) cast their ballot votes at a referendum to change Romania’s constitution to prevent same sex couples, adding this is a huge number.
Stefanescu also spoke about an alleged boycott at polling stations. „It is hallucinating the way in which polling stations were boycotted. One did their best to boycott a normal civic procedure which was not assumed politically. (…) On behalf of the Social Democratic Party, I want to thank the media for the information campaigns on the referendum over the last two weeks. Media is power”.
A referendum to change Romania’s constitution to stop same-sex couples from securing the right to marry has failed after it did not attract enough voters to validate the result.
Data from the national election bureau showed voter turnout stood at 20.4 percent when the polls closed at 1800 GMT, below the 30% required for it to be valid. (cotidianul.ro)
Central Bank: Romania Risks Facing Huge Crisis If Interest Rates Go Up By 2-3 Pp
Romania risks facing a huge crisis if interest rates for borrowing money will rise by 2 or 3 percentage points because the markets perceive the budget deficit as huge, Eugen Radulescu, head of the Financial Stablity Department within the central bank, said Saturday.
Radulescu also said Romania will not face a crisis on the second or third day, as this can also happen in one or two years.
“Recession usually comes when one does not expect it. Nowhere in the world did recession appear after being trumpeted ‘Recession is coming!”, Radulescu also said. (jurnalul.ro)