Why is support for reunification rising?

Support for Irish unity has grown significantly in the past three years in Northern Ireland, though a clear majority remains in favour of remaining part of the United Kingdom, according to the latest opinion poll for The Irish Times and the ARINS Project.

On today’s Inside Politics podcast Hugh Linehan is joined by political editor Pat Leahy and Brendan O’Leary from the University of Pennsylvania to discuss the latest findings from the project, a study that explores attitudes to a possible future united Ireland.

They discuss recent trends in public opinion regarding Irish reunification, the demographic shifts influencing the movement, and the prospects for planning and compromise in the face of potential unity.

The conversation also covers the varying attitudes between the North and the Republic on issues like preparedness for a future United Ireland and whether NATO and Commonwealth membership should be adopted in the event of reunification. 

The North and South series is a collaboration between The Irish Times and ARINS (Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South), a joint research project of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) and the Keough-Naughton Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame.

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