TENS of thousands of LGBT supporters took to the streets of Romania’s capital on Saturday for its annual gay pride parade, following a tense election cycle marked by an increase in hate speech against the community.

Marchers of all ages walked through Bucharest’s streets and down the central Victory Avenue, as many waved colourful flags, blew whistles and held placards that read: “Be proud, be bold, be you!” Held since 2005, the event marked Bucharest Pride’s 20th anniversary.

A highly divisive and chaotic election cycle in Romania saw a rise in support for far-right political figures and parties in the European Union member, one of the bloc’s most religious countries.

Victor Ciobotaru, executive director of the Accept Association, an LGBT rights group, said that throughout the 2024-25 election cycle, the organisation registered “a huge increase” in hate crimes against the LGBT community.

He said: “We had more people complaining about being harassed on the streets or being attacked.

“This hate speech doesn’t remain without effect. We can feel the tension within the society. We are going to continue to fight for our rights, no matter the political climate.”

Earlier on Saturday, right-wing groups who advocate for traditional family values and oppose same-sex marriage held an anti-LGBT counter-march in the capital.

Before the parade, the Accept Association also reported a large “Stop LGBT” banner that had been draped over an abandoned Bucharest apartment building.

Mr Ciobotaru said: “These types of actions are now more legitimised by the hate discourse which was spread all during these years, during these electoral campaigns.

“We will not be afraid to go on the streets.”

This year marks 24 years since Romania, a country of about 19 million, decriminalised homosexuality.

In ILGA-Europe’s 2025 Rainbow Map, which assesses the legal and policy landscape for LGBT people across Europe, Romania ranked last among all 27 EU countries, followed by Poland and Bulgaria, the advocacy group found.