How Is Politics Ruining Relationships: 10 Telling Impacts

Listen to this article

Politics is a major part of our daily lives, directly or indirectly, because it primarily involves having leaders at the helm of affairs who cater to their constituents. There are usually different political parties that are always hostile towards one another, affecting members of these parties.

Even in relationships, you may find partners belonging to different political parties or having different political ideologies. When it comes to politics ruining relationships, it may be bound to happen if partners are not careful about setting boundaries. 

In this post, you will learn the concept of politics ruining relationships and how to protect your love life.

Here’s a study by Cynthia Peacock and Joshua R Pederson on the connection between Love and Politics. This study highlights the influence of politically dissimilar romantic relationships on political participation and relationship satisfaction. 

Can a relationship survive different political views?

Not all relationships may be able to survive having different political views. Some couples may have a good level of emotional maturity that tells them the best time to draw the line so that it doesn’t affect their relationship. 

In comparison, some partners may be unable to control themselves during political conversations, which can cause bad blood and conflicts in the long run.

10 signs politics is ruining your relationship

You and your partner can agree on many things, but where you might draw the line might be concerning politics. Sometimes, couples with different political views might experience fallouts and long-standing conflicts until they can come to a compromise.

They might not be aware that politics gradually negatively affects their love union. When it comes to politics ruining relationships, here are some signs you should know.

1. You no longer do romantic things together

One of the ways to know that political differences in marriage or relationships are affecting you both is when you stop doing romantic things together. 

This means you might not go on dates like before or stop going on romantic getaways or vacations with your partner because you have differing views over your political opinions.

Related Reading: 25 Romantic Things to Do as a Couple

2. You avoid having conversations with your partner

Concerning politics ruining relationships, another way to know that you are in this position is when you no longer want to have a regular conversation with your partner. You will discover that you keep passing up every opportunity to discuss with them.

When your partner brings up a topic, you find a way to leave the conversation because you probably feel you will end up discussing politics. Over time, the quality of communication in your relationship will erode gradually.

3. You and your partner avoid each other

If you are dating someone with opposite political views, you will likely avoid each other when you cannot agree with each other. You will observe that you may make different excuses not to be with each other because you don’t want to discuss politics.

Some people might use the excuse of work, health or other reasons so that they will not physically see their partner or even communicate with them virtually.

Related Reading: 15 Relationship Traps Everyone Needs to Avoid

4. You trade words with them

When you find yourself trading words with your partner and resorting to abusive words because of differing political views, it is a strong sign of politics ruining relationships. 

Usually, politically divided couples may find it hard to avoid using words that will not hurt each other. To make their voices heard, they can use derogatory words to shut each other up for their opinions to count.

5. You’re mostly fighting

There might hardly be peace between both parties when it comes to signs of politics ruining relationships. 

Regular conflicts will stem from their different views on political matters. Depending on the peculiarity of their union, they may settle their differences in a short or long time, but there will always be another conflict lurking in the shadows.

6. You don’t trust their views on other matters

You can tell if politics is affecting your relationship when you find it difficult to trust your partner’s views when they discuss other matters. Due to their political views, you may feel that their words do not hold water when conversing about other things. 

7. You don’t spend quality time together

When you and your partner don’t spend quality time together, it can be one of the signs of politics ruining relationships. Both of you might not be interested in creating memories when you are with each other because of where you stand differently regarding political matters. 

Related Reading: 11 Ways to Spend Some Quality Time With Your Partner

8. You are more intimate with someone who has the same political views

If you start having intimate relations with another person because they share the same political views as you, then politics might have ruined your relationship. When you start cheating on your partner because you disagree politically, it might signal your relationship’s end.

9. You talk ill of them to your friends

One of the ways to spot a healthy relationship is when you can defend your partner publicly, even when they are wrong. This means that if anyone says anything degrading about your partner, you will stand up to them. 

However, when you find yourself saying negative things concerning your partner to your friends, then it can be one of the signs of politics ruining relationships.

10. You’re thinking of breaking up

When it gets to the point that you are considering breaking up over political differences, then politics has affected your relationship. If you are dating someone with different political views and feel it is impossible to stay on the same page with them, it might affect you both regarding other matters.

Related Reading: 15 Things to Consider Before Breaking Up

5 tips to cope with political differences in relationships

It is normal for partners to have different views when it comes to politics. However, with understanding and communication, they can set their opinions aside regarding the overall state of the relationship. To avoid relationships ending over politics, here are some tips to help you and your partner cope.

1. Let your points be fact-based and not opinion-based

Most times, when it comes to politics ruining friendships, you will discover that people are more likely to state points based on emotions and opinions instead of facts. Doing this is not advantageous in the long run because you may likely say some things that will hurt your friend or partner. 

2. Be a thoughtful listener

Concerning politics and relationships, another tip to help you cope is to ensure you are a thoughtful listener. People often have conflicts in relationships because they don’t know how to listen. 

When you listen to your partner carefully, you might be surprised to discover that you are on the same page regarding some issues.

3. Don’t use explosive tones, be calm and civil

If you are wondering if politics is ruining my marriage, it might be because of how you and your partner talk to each other. 

When discussing politics, avoid using aggressive tones and words with your partner. Be gentle, and calm so that you won’t say things that will hurt them even though you don’t agree on the same thing.

4. Embrace your differences

Sometimes, you might have to consider accepting that people think differently, which may make your partner unique. Hence, on how to not ruin a relationship because of politics, you may have to accept your differences.

Related Reading: Embrace Changes in Your Partnership with Your Spouse

Watch this video on how to manage differences in relationships: 

5. Know when to back down

When fighting with spouse over politics, you should know when to throw in the towel. Remember that not all battles can be won, and your input during a heated political conversation can mar your relationship.

In this news article by Jane Kelly for the University of Virginia, the topic of politics and our personal relationships is explored. You will learn how these two concepts are intertwined. 

Related Reading: 20 Ways to Let Your Guard Down in a Relationship & Why You Should

Some commonly asked questions

Political differences can harm the future possibilities of a relationship. Here are some pressing questions on the topic that can clear up some of your doubts:

• How to prevent politics from stressing you out

When it comes to politics in relationships, if you feel it is stressing you out, communicate with your partner. Avoid taking their opinions to heart, and try to have other conversations that are not politically related.

• Do couples need to discuss politics?

Couples can decide to discuss what they want in their relationships, depending on their preference. If you feel that having political differences in a relationship can cause conflict, it is best to reduce talking about politics.

Troy L Fangmeier and other authors discussed the connection between political party identification and romantic relationship quality. You will learn, in this study, how politics can affect the quality of your love life. 

Final thoughts

It is expedient to mention that politics ruining relationships is a fact, not a myth. Some couples break up because of the inability to reconcile their differing political views. To avoid falling into a situation where politics is ruining relationships, you may consider going for relationship counseling.