The conservative state, which is one of the few EU members that does not allow marriage or civil partnerships for same sex couples, is considering changing the constitutional definition of marriage to specify it as only between a man and a woman. Supporters of this proposal, such as the Orthodox Church and almost all parliamentary parties, believe this change is necessary to prevent gay couples from marrying in the future. However, numerous human rights groups are urging people to boycott the vote, warning that approving this change could lead to further erosion of minority rights and push Romania towards a populist, authoritarian direction. A recent poll showed that 90 percent of those surveyed are in favor of the change, and a group called the Coalition for the Family collected 3 million signatures to push for the amendment. The previous year, the lower house of parliament voted in favor of the referendum, which was followed by the senate in September, marking the final stage needed for approval. Some Coalition campaign posters encouraged people to vote "Yes" in order to protect family values and prevent gay couples from adopting children. Conversely, a different advertisement suggested that voting "No" would allow a man to marry a tree. The leader of the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD), Liviu Dragnea, expressed concerns about potential consequences, citing examples of other countries legalizing marriage between a man and an animal. Days prior to the vote, the government relaxed anti-fraud monitoring and limited opportunities to challenge the outcome, while the broadcasting regulator removed the deadline for campaigning. The independent think tank Expert Forum (EFOR) stated that there are no effective ways to verify fraud in the referendum, which has led to a lack of trust in the fairness of the process. Some critics believe the ruling party, PSD, is using the vote to distract from its leader's legal issues and conflicts with the European Commission. Former Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos accused the government of trying to create anti-European sentiment in Romania. The government denies these accusations, while the Orthodox Church has endorsed a "Yes" vote as being Christian, democratic, and patriotic. Romania legalized homosexuality in 2001, much later than its neighboring countries, and discrimination against the LGBT community is common. Photo title: Romania 1+2 Caption: Romanian religious leaders participate in a demonstration in favor of a "Yes" vote on the forthcoming referendum, which suggests amending the constitution to prohibit the recognition of same-sex marriages in the future, in Draganesti, Romania, on Oct 4, 2018. REUTERS.