How important are a person's political views when comes to relationships?

[Cybercubed]

I was looking at a Yougov poll with regards to Americans and how much a persons political views mattered to them when dating. It found around half of Americans would be uncomfortable dating someone from the opposite side of the political divide, Democrats were more likely to be uncomfortable (53%) dating a Republican than vice versa. That number was even higher among for Democrats when asked about dating a Trump supporter (71%). Only around 9% of all total marriages in the US are between a Republican and a Democrat. Very low.

today.yougov.com/topics/relationships/articles-reports/2019/10/24/politics-beliefs-friends-partners-poll-survey

I don't think the UK's quite as divided as the US is, but I think we're increasingly heading in that direction. I live in Northern Ireland and used to naively think NI was unique in this but clearly not.

How much does a persons political views matter to you when it comes to relationships? Could you date someone who votes UKIP or is a avid brexiteer, or someone who is a Corbyn supporter etc?

I think it's a fundamental I couldn't get past. To me, lots of politics is moral. I'm very liberal as well as a POC so I just couldn't see me being able to build a relationship with someone who voted UKIP or Tory.

I think it would be difficult if you had a hardline dogmatic mindset and couldn't accept that other people are entitled to their own views and opinions.

I wouldn't consider dating someone who wasn't politically on the same page as me. It would be a deal breaker.

I wouldn't mind of they were a swing voter same as me and changed party depending on the perceived needs at the time.. but if they were always one way or another and that was the opposite of me, I can't see how we would be compatible

It does really depend on the person. I can tolerate people who have different political views to me as long as they’re not extreme.
I wouldn’t tolerate racism, misogyny, homophobia or benefit bashing. Anything else is a difference of opinion and I’m fine with that.

For me it’s a question of values. We might not vote exactly the same but would have to be broadly on the same page. That means that UKIP supporters would be out of the question for me and Conservatives too, especially at the moment. I dated a hardline Marxist once, though, and that was its own kind of nightmare of the other side of the political spectrum.

Depends on the strength of political views, surely? And in the UK we don't have the same 2 party system. We don't vote for the PM in the way that Americans vote for a President.

I think the extremes (I don't just mean brainwashed terrorist level,but the activists who door knock and give people lifts to the polling station) wouldn't date outside of their tribe. But most of us accept that our loved ones can have different views from us.

I'm an immigrant from the Midlands to Yorkshire. The Tories got voted in in my area, yet my social media is full of people calling Tories bad words all year round. It I was a Tory I'm not sure I'd advertise it.

It depends for me more on whether they have different social values rather than if they believe in different economic schools of thoughts.

Eg Has voted a different party than me because they thought that the economic policies were the most sound, I can get on board with and discuss.

Has different social values where they have fundamentally different morals from me then no!

We vote very differently here.....it hasn’t been a problem in 30 years.

My partner and I share very similar political views and values. I simply could never imagine being with a Tory voter for example, their value system and views about key issues, eg poverty, or homelessness, would be just too different to sit comfortably with me.

I don't think either DH or myself would be able to stay in a relationship with someone with radically different political perspectives. We're both very political animals, and very passionate about related topics.

I am centre left and could deal with centre right, but couldn't deal with anything more right wing than that. However, I would struggle just as equally with hard left. Activism in general is a real turn off for me.

A person from a different party is fine, but not from the opposite end of left and right and not a Brexiteer as I'm a remainer.

I don't know to be honest but have become increasingly aware that my parents are getting much more right wing as they get older, and dismiss my views as "leftie do gooder". It really frustrates me to argue with them and we talk about politics a fair bit, so cannot imagine having the same issues with a partner where there is no escape, or having to continually agree to disagree on fundamental beliefs. Luckily I've never been in that position but while I wouldn't discount dating someone who voted a different way to me, I couldn't imagine being with someone with polar opposite views on poverty, disability or kindness, if that makes sense.

I think a political view would matter as much a as your political view tends to come from your values, your compassion and your general views on a lot if important things in life. It can show a persons character.

If you are both pretty middling but lean a touch one way, it probably wouldn't matter too much, but if there are large important issues that are different, it would be an issue. For example if my husband told me he voted for Nigel Farage, we would not be married now, as that means his beliefs are too far removed from mine for me to be with him.

It doesn’t really bother me, assuming you mean one of the main parties here and not an extremist one, I know this may not be a popular view but I’d probably find it harder to be with a ‘moral’ left wing person who never shut up about it than a shy tory.

I always love the replies on here about just accepting others opinions! If other people’s opinions include voting for the Tories then yes I won’t respect them! I can probably be friends but not husband material for me. It’s too diametrically opposed to my own values and would cause too many arguments on too many issues. That doesn’t make me “dogmatic”, just realistic!

Im Scottish and personally would never ever date a Tory voter/Brexiteer, fortunately my DP and I have similar views.

I couldn't date a tory or a ukip type person, or a brecht supporter - its more to do with morals and values than politics for me. My husband wasn't a huge fan of Corbyn - he didn't buy into the media nonsense about him but he definitely isn't as much of a fan as me. I think that's probably the limit of how much political difference I could deal with personally.

I couldn't date anyone who was far left or far right. Somewhere in the middle (either side, I don't mind) would be fine.

Unlike a lot of my friends I don't despise the tories. Even if I wouldn't vote for them, I can appreciate why some might and that that's ok.

If my partner were a Trump supporter/Brexiteer or indeed an extremely woke person, then I probably wouldn't be able to stop trying to persuade them into the safe centre ground that I inhabit. And then they'd dump me for berating them about politics.

It just wouldn't work

I'm American and pre-Trump it was not a huge deal to date someone from the other party. Trump has really really divided the country, more so than it has ever been divided.

I'm a Democrat and would never date a Trumpster, but then again. I don't like facial hair on men, so those dudes would be ruled out anyway.

I could never knowingly date a Tory. I have Tory friends, but at heart I'd feel uncomfortable sleeping with someone who (in my political opinion) puts wealth before social care.

@Nicolastuffedone

We vote very differently here.....it hasn’t been a problem in 30 years.

Same here. We mutually agreed a long time ago to agree to disagree. Politics rarely gets discussed, other than American ones when we are firmly on the same page.

It's not so much a party someone votes for, but their general political beliefs and how rational and well read they are on the topic. Have they read research papers and statistics, or get their views of social media, for example. Because you can believe in different policies from different parties. I find it very narrow minded when people automatically assume that every Tory voter is a racist, and every Labour voter is a socialist. People like that turn me off, as do people who want to shove their views down my throat. Politics is not an identity, unless you're a politician.

I would never date someone with a complete opposing view but if they were centrist, or centre left or centre right, that would suit me just fine. Not sure I could date someone who had no knowledge or opinion of politics though!