A referendum to change Romania's law on same sex marriage fails due to low voter turnout

LGBT activists react during an event organised by the LGBT rights group "Mozaiq" in Romania. [Courtesy]

A referendum to change Romania’s constitution to prevent same sex couples from securing the right to marry failed to draw enough voters to validate the result on Sunday, after a campaign that led to a rise in hate speech against the gay community.

The vote has also been seen as popularity test of the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) that supported the change and whose attempts to weaken anti-corruption legislation have drawn criticism from the European Union’s executive.