Fanahrian 25th July EU Referendum

## EU Referendum (Fanahria)

Blue (Remain majority regions)Red (Leave majority regions)

On 25 July 2023, a referendum, commonly referred to as the **EU referendum** or the **Fanahrexit referendum**, took place in Fanahria. The outcome was a slim Remain victory by a little more than 200,000 votes. The outcome was 99.04% of eligible voters.

Before their victory on the 10th of July, the **Fanahrian Conservative Party** promised a referendum on the European Union, which was eventually declared by the FCP elected President, Antonmer Blair on 18th of July 2023.

### Sides

#### Leave

The leave campaign was led mostly by the FCP and by Prime Minister Glasmer Dunburgh. It received open support from the **Socialist Worker's Party** and the **All-Union People's Party**. The leave campaign were based on various opinions. President Antonmer Blair did not support the leave campaign, but remained silent during the campaigning session.

The FCP started their EU leave campaign even before the General Election.

##### FCP Argument

The FCP maintained the view that the unemployment across the EU being almost 30,000,000 meant that, through access of free travel, many of those unemployed could come to Fanahria and therefore "take Fanahrian jobs." Further arguments included being able to do free trade deals without restrictions by the EU, using the slogan "reigniting the promise of a new Fanahria." The FCP promised that there would be GDP growth following FANAHREXIT.

The FCP was known to already have strong border policies, even having criticsed its FANAHREXIT ally, the SWP in the past for their "cafe shop like" border policy. During the EU Referendum, the FCP had stated that Turkey would soon join the European Union, and as a result, the refugees would be able to come to Fanahria and "ruin the demographics."

The FCP also used the EU Corruption argument, proposing that Fanahrian taxes that are sent to the EU to cover the costs of corruption could instead remain in the pockets of the Fanahrian people. The FCP claimed that Fanahria paid the EU $17B a year, stating that if FANAHREXIT were to happen, this could remain inside Fanahria.

##### A-UPP Argument

The All-Union People's Party led the **Worke**rs**' United Front** Alliance FANAHREXIT movement. The A-UPP called the EU "exploitative" and and "inhumane".

#### Remain

The remain side was mainly led by the **Forward** Party and **DNSP**, although they were not working together. While the Forward Party campaigned for Fanahria to remain, the DNSP campaigned for Durangia to remain as well as Durangian seperation from Fanahria.

##### Forward Party Argument

Forwards used examples from the United Kingdom and the consequences of BREXIT to drive its campaign. It claimed that the FCP had similar argument as the BREXIT Campaign, which it also claimed "lied" about the benefits of leaving. It drew figures from the UK, such as decreased trade, decreased business investments, record migration levels in a single day, and the highest inflation to warn Fanahria about what will happen. In contrast to the A-UPP, the Forward Party implied that the EU was humane, calling it "democratic," claiming it "upholds human rights," and claiming it created "European peace."

##### DNSP Argument

The DNSP presented arguments that would further Durangian independence. They had claimed that the majority of Fanahria would want to leave the EU, and thus, the more pro-EU Durangian people would be "dragged along the uncertain path." They warned the Durangian people about what it could mean to give up EU rights, such as freedom of movement.

### Reasons for the outcome

The biggest cause for the referendum results swaying in favour of remain was likely because of fear of what is to come. Several journalists and political analysts believe that if the FANAHREXIT referendum was done before the BREXIT one, the outcome out have been a major victory for the leave campaign.

Durangia, voted 87% for remain, the largest out of all of the provinces. The extra voters from Durangia had managed to make a small change in the number of votes.

Pedranier voted 60% in favour of remain, contributing a major number of voters to the remain campaign.

FCP's unpopular policies on taxation, unorthodox policy on further privatisation and lower government spending, and rising inflation has contributed to some ex-FCP voters to not trust them, resulting in a small minority of people to vote against FCP's beliefs.

The divide within the FCP over the EU had also caused some party members to leave and join the Pan-European NPF, while the President himself had also managed to have influence over the party voters into voting remain.