Duckish Western Union membership referendum, 2018

A referendum on the accession of Duck Island to the Western Union was held on 1 March 2018. It took place around nearly a week after Duck Island had finished accession negotiations to join the union. It resulted in a 70% victory for the side in favour of joining the Western Union. The same day the referendum took place, Duck Island signed the treaty of accession with the Western Union, allowing it to join the union on 1 April.

Early history
Duck Island has been a candidate to join the Western Union on 21 October 2017, when they submitted their application. Immediately, the application was reviewed and so far was not rejected nor approved, though some member states have voiced concern over Duck Island joining as they believe they are wholly unprepared. President Simon McClark of the United Provinces stated that Duck Island is certainly welcome in the Western Union but that there are many issues that would need to be resolved that can't be resolved in just a few weeks time.

As of 1 Feb 2018, none of the chapters were closed in Duck Island's negotiations to join the Western Union and the country is still said to be "not even close" to joining the Western Union. Western Council President Duan Xuegang stated that the Western Union has been 'very unfair' towards Duck Island for not talking to them in a long time and he called for a reopening of talks with Duck Island to join the Western Union. Simon McClark has expressed his support for the idea of continuing Duck Island's negotiations but once again stated that there are many issues that are not even close to being resolved.

On 11 Feb 2018, after some thorough talks in New Duck City, the WU Chief Negotiator with Duck Island announced that 'significant progress' had been made on almost all chapters and that Duck Island is now "a few steps closer" towards joining the Western Union. She also applauded Duck Island for being 'respectful' throughout the negotiations that day and for cooperating with her team. On 11 February, the Simon McClark stated that he hopes that Duck Island closes the chapters of Wiki Experience, Energy, Taxation and Minority Rights chapters by 18 February.

When asked for when he expects Duck Island to finish negotiations to join the Western Union, Xuegang said that "there is no chance they finish before the early-March and that finishing negotiations doesn't mean they join the Western Union yet and that there are a lot of things that have to be done afterwards as well". On 17 February, President Penguino Lagois IV of Tropicalis, after private talks with President Fat Duck of Duck Island, endorsed the idea of Duck Island joining the Western Union. When asked when he hopes Duck Island ends negotiations, Fat Duck said "hopefully by the end of the month or beginning of the next month". President Brant Esser of Acadia also endorsed Duck Island's bid.

End of February and March 2018
On 20th February 2018, Western Union Commission President Ludovica Carvillia confirmed that Duck Island would end its negotiations to join the Western Union on 24 February, the same day as Candvia and Dragonstone.

Polls showed support for entering the Union in October to be at around 86%. The support declined in January to 68% and to 66% by the 23rd of February. On 22 February 2018 major protests took place in Winsburg attended by over 5,000 people calling for the UP to refuse to sign and ratify the Duckish treaty of accession, with the protesters stating that "Duck Island will destabilize and destroy our beloved union with their bickering with EP and their president's stubbornness". When asked to comment, Fat Duck stated "all such fears are irrational and I believe most UP people would be welcoming and kind towards our nation once it joins the union".

On 24 February 2018, they finished accession negotiations. President Fat Duck proceeded to announce a Western Union referendum will be held in Duck Island on 1 March, the same day the treaty of accession is signed.

Communism
At the same time, the Duckish Communist Party organised an anti-WU protest in New Duck City, but nobody except for some party members came. At, first everything was normal, but then. they started blowing up cars of the government members, so most of them were arrested. The chairman of the party was not arrested, because he claimed to not have ordered the cars to be blown up. The support of the Communist Party decreased a lot after that.

Some hours later, a communist blew up another car in New Duck City. He tried to kill some politicians, as well. Then, he attacked the police. The police was forced to kill him. The support of the Communist Party decreased even more after that.

Also, after the communist attacks protests, the support for joining the Western Union increased a lot.

Because of the protests, a lot of anti-communist ducks and penguins organised another protest in New Duck City, demanding the Communist Party to be disbanded and all of the members to be arrested. However, Prime Minister Black Duck soon replied that it can't be done, because that would be non-democratic and unfair for those communists who didn't do anything.

On 1 March 2018, the referendum was held. It resulted in a victory for the side in favour of joining the Western Union.

Trivia

 * The communists who were arrested are currently in the New Duck City Prison.
 * Some ducks and penguins are demanding that they should be executed.