The conservative state is currently one of the few EU members that do not allow marriage or civil partnerships for same sex couples. Supporters of the proposal, such as the Orthodox Church and most parliamentary parties, want to amend the constitution to define marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman to prevent same sex couples from marrying in the future. Many human rights groups are urging people to boycott the vote, warning that approving the change could lead to further erosion of minority rights and a move towards populism and authoritarianism. A recent poll showed a turnout of 34 percent, above the required 30 percent threshold, with 90 percent in favor of the amendment. The Coalition for the Family gathered 3 million signatures in support of the change. The lower house of parliament approved the referendum last year, with the senate following suit in September, marking the final stage needed for the referendum to proceed. Some Coalition campaign posters encouraged people to vote "Yes" in order to protect family values and prevent gay couples from adopting children. Another advertisement warned that a "No" vote could result in a man marrying a tree. The leader of the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, expressed concerns about the possibility of legalizing marriage between a man and an animal in Romania, citing examples from other countries. In the days leading up to the vote, the government relaxed anti-fraud measures and limited options for challenging the results, while the broadcasting regulator removed a deadline for campaigning. The independent think tank Expert Forum (EFOR) stated that there are no effective methods to confirm fraud in the referendum, leading to a lack of trust in the fairness of the process. Some opposition figures believe that the ruling party (PSD) is using the vote to distract from the legal issues of its leader and conflicts with the European Commission. Former Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos accused the government of trying to create anti-European sentiment to protect Liviu Dragnea. The government denies these claims, while the Orthodox Church supports a "Yes" vote as Christian, democratic, and patriotic. Romania legalized homosexuality in 2001, much later than neighboring countries, and discrimination against the LGBT community is widespread. The image is titled "Romania 1+2" and shows Romanian clergymen participating in a rally to support a "Yes" vote on an upcoming referendum. The referendum proposes changes to the constitution to prevent the future recognition of same-sex marriages. This event took place in Draganesti, Romania on October 4, 2018. The information was reported by REUTERS.