A referendum to establish a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage in Romania has failed – after only a fifth of voters turned out to vote. Romanians were being asked whether they wanted the constitution changed to specify that marriage can only be between a man and a woman.

But just 20.4% of eligible voters cast ballots – short of the 30% needed. The vast majority of those who voted, voted in favour of the referendum.

Mihai Gheorghiu, president of the pro-referendum Coalition for Family, told the BBC ahead of the vote they were trying “to protect, at a constitutional level, the definition of marriage – between one woman and one man”.

But after two days of voting, it seems the No campaign’s strategy – to boycott the vote in the hope the turnout fell below the 30% needed to validate the referendum – was successful. The low turnout comes despite the support of the powerful Orthodox church, and the unusual step by the government of extending the vote to two days instead of one. The constitution will retain its current, neutral wording – that a family “is founded on the freely consented marriage of the spouses”.