The conservative state, which is one of the few EU members to prohibit marriage or civil partnerships for same-sex couples, is considering changing the constitutional definition of marriage to specify it as a union exclusively between a man and a woman. Supporters of this proposal, including the Orthodox Church and all but one parliamentary party, believe this change is necessary to prevent gay couples from gaining the right to marry in the future. However, many human rights groups are urging people to boycott the ballot, warning that approval of this change could lead to further erosion of minority rights and push Romania towards a populist, authoritarian path. A recent poll by CURS suggests a turnout of 34 percent, with 90 percent in favor of the change. The Coalition for the Family, which collected 3 million signatures, is behind the push for this amendment. Last year, the lower house of parliament approved a referendum, with the senate following in September, completing the final step. Some Coalition campaign posters encouraged voting "Yes" to protect family values from the possibility of gay couples adopting children. An opposing advert suggested that a "No" vote would lead to a man marrying a tree. The leader of the ruling Social Democrat Party, Liviu Dragnea, expressed concerns about the potential for legalizing marriage between a man and an animal, citing examples from other countries. In the days leading up to the vote, the government relaxed anti-fraud measures and limited challenges to the result, while the broadcasting regulator removed a cut-off date for campaigning. The Expert Forum (EFOR) stated that there are currently no effective methods to validate fraud for the referendum, leading to a lack of trust in the fairness of the process. Some critics believe the ruling party is using the vote to distract from their leader's legal troubles and conflicts with the European Commission. The appeal of Liviu Dragnea, who is facing a conviction in an abuse of office case, begins on Oct 8, the day after the vote. Former Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos accused Dragnea of attempting to stir up anti-European sentiment in Romania. The government denies these allegations, while the Orthodox Church claims that voting "Yes" is in line with Christian, democratic, and patriotic values. Romania legalized homosexuality in 2001, later than neighboring countries, and discrimination against the LGBT community remains common. The photo is titled "Romania 1+2" and shows Romanian clergymen participating in a rally to support a "Yes" vote on an upcoming referendum. The referendum aims to make changes to the constitution to prohibit the recognition of same-sex marriages in the future. The event took place in Draganesti, Romania on October 4, 2018 and was covered by REUTERS.