President ratifies anti-femicide law
The Law on Preventing and Combating Femicide and Preceding Acts of Violence was published this Thursday in the Official Gazette.
Mihai Pelin, 24.04.2026, 13:50
Romanian President Nicușor Dan has ratified the Law on Preventing and Combating Femicide, describing it as a vital legislative act and a significant step toward raising awareness about the root causes of abuse and violence targeting women. For far too long, this form of aggression has been either ignored or inadequately addressed, leading to tragic consequences.
President Nicușor Dan emphasized that, as an act of acknowledging a painful reality that we are duty-bound to rectify, it is essential to have a law that establishes severe penalties and promotes preemptive measures against femicide and domestic violence. At the same time, he commended the initiative of the members of Parliament who recognized the gravity of this phenomenon and implemented the necessary legislative amendments. He noted that this law transforms the Romanian state’s commitment to ensuring the safety of women and children into a concrete preventive mechanism, providing authorities with the tools needed to intervene before violence escalates into tragedy.
The President further noted that this represents a major stride toward understanding the causes of violence against women and toward a more efficient, humane justice system, one that not only punishes aggressors harshly, but also understands and actively prevents the suffering of our most vulnerable citizens.
With the law’s entry into force, femicide will be punishable in the same manner as first-degree murder, with prison sentences ranging from 6 to 12 years. If the acts are committed against a family member, the maximum sentence prescribed by law will be increased. The law defines femicide as the deliberate killing of a woman, as well as the death of a woman resulting from assault, battery or other intentional offenses leading to the victim’s death, regardless of whether the perpetrator is a family member or someone else. The term “women” specifically includes girls under the age of 18. According to the law’s initiators, the primary objective was both the formal recognition of femicide and the prevention of domestic violence and femicide cases.
Consequently, the law stipulates specific obligations regarding the protection of domestic violence victims. In instances where an aggressor violates a protection order or a provisional order, criminal proceedings will be initiated automatically. This means a victim’s formal complaint is not required for the investigation to begin, nor will the case be closed if the victim subsequently withdraws their complaint.
The legislative initiative was sparked by a series of domestic violence cases and killings in 2025, which led to public petitions and protests. Introduced in October 2025, the bill received unprecedented support in Parliament, signed by over 270 lawmakers from across the political spectrum, despite criticism that it represented a form of over-regulation. It was adopted one month ago by the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in this case. (VP)
