A trans man’s gender identity is being legally recognised in Romania after the Bucharest Tribunal rejected multiple appeals opposing a previous decision. The Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in 2024 that legal gender changes in any EU state must be recognised in all other EU states. However, Romania has previously refused or purposefully delayed cases regarding gender identity since the EU ruling.

Both the EU ruling and the Romanian ruling were won by Arian Mirzarafie-Ahi, a Romanian-born trans man with dual Romanian and UK citizenship. Despite Mirzarafie-Ahi receiving legal documentation of his transition from the UK in 2020, his gender identity was not previously recognised in Romania.

Mirzarafie-Ahi originally brought his case before a Romanian court, which later referred it to the EU’s highest court due to confusion surrounding Brexit’s impact on the case. 

The EU court ruled that refusing to recognise Mirzarafie-Ahi’s gender identity was discriminatory as it hindered his ability to move between EU member-states freely. The decision ultimately made Romania legally obligated to recognise his gender identity.

Still facing pushback from Romania two years later, Mirzarafie-Ahi’s 2026 case began in the country’s Sector 6 court and was settled in his favour at the national level. Romania must now issue the plaintiff a new birth certificate reflecting his gender identity. The ruling will apply to all transgender people with identities legally recognised in EU states.

Considered a landmark win for transgender people in Romania, the ruling coincides with activists and organisations continuing to advocate for legislation allowing same-sex couples to enter civil partnerships.

In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Romania was infringing on the human rights of same-sex couples by refusing to grant them marriage or legal partnerships. However, then-Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu commented on the decision, stating that it is not one of his “priorities”. 

The fight for legal recognition and equal rights for same-sex couples in Romania continues, but Mirzarafie-Ahi’s historic win for trans people in the courts marks significant progress.