A group in Romania is looking to hold a referendum there to legally restrict marriage as between men and women.

The Coalition for Family - a group of some 30 associations and foundations - co-hosted a conference on Tuesday at the Romanian parliament in Bucharest.

The conference gathered members of parliament, academia, religious representatives and the media.

Delegates discussed the initiative "to affirm marriage as the union of one man and one woman in the constitution".

The Coalition for Family claim the proposed amendment has already gained the support "of three million citizens".

In 2016, the coalition say they gathered the signatures supporting the definition of marriage as "the union of one man and one woman".

The Romanian Parliament in Bucharest | Image: Facebook/Parlamentul Romaniei Camera Deputatilor Pagina Oficiala

They say it is now up to the Romanian parliament to start the constitutional referendum called for by three million people.

According to Romania's Civil Code, same-sex marriages and civil unions are prohibited and those entered into abroad are not recognised.

The Constitutional Court there has ruled the proposal is valid, and it now goes to the parliament for approval.

The Human Rights Campaign say the Romanian constitution defines marriage as between "partners" with no genders specified.

Amnesty Ireland told Newstalk.com they are not in a position to comment.

Romania has been a member of the European Union since January 2007, and has 32 seats in the European Parliament.

It will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in 2019.