Crossing the Irish divide

 The Brexit referendum reintroduced the possibility of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Attitudes hardened as competing political aspirations for Northern Ireland's future returned to the forefront.[…]
 But new polling from the Irish Times and the Arins project suggests these attitudes may now be changing. Across Ireland – north and south – there is a growing consensus that planning for a potential united Ireland is important, even among those who oppose it.
 Perhaps most notably, even Unionists in Northern Ireland have reported a slight but meaningful move towards accepting a possible future reunification.
 The latest polling shows that acceptance of potential Irish unity has risen from 21% in 2022 to 29% in 2025 among voters in Northern Ireland from a Protestant background. […]
 For Unionists in Northern Ireland, who are often culturally Protestant, the border affirms their British identity, retaining their connection to the UK and entitlement to claim Britishness.
 For Nationalists, most of whom are culturally Catholic, the border was a divide imposed illegitimately by the British. The border undermined their claim to Irishness. […]
 Given its long and troubled past, planning will need to be careful and diligent to ensure Ireland remains at peace. But the recent polling suggests that, despite its many flaws, Brexit may actually have paved the way for a more constructive and less antagonistic conversation about Northern Ireland's future.