They found each other – despite different political views

A new survey shows that it is more important for women than for men what one’s partner has for political views.
Some who go against the trend are the leftist party Nina Berggård and Liberal Thomas Olofsson – who has been a couple for 12 years.
– One of the strengths in our relationship is that we have felt different, think differently and have a dynamic conversation and can look differently at things, says Nina Berggård in after five.

The 2022 election was historic because of the major gender differences in party, where women generally stand more to the left and have more liberal opinions than men. According to indicator Opinion’s latest voter barometer, this distance grows.

Among men under 30, 42 percent believe it is important to have similar political views as their partner, while 54 percent think it is not important. In women in the same age group, 66 percent think it is important, while 28 percent think the opposite. At the same time, there is growing sex polarization on political issues.

– It is alarming that there is such a big difference, especially for the young people who will meet someone and are thinking about forming a family, says psychologist Anna Bennich in after five.

They defy the numbers

Some who have found love across party borders are Nina Berggård, who is politically active in the Left Party and Thomas Olofsson, who is politically active in the Liberals. They have now been married for three years.

– We have known each other for a long time and have always talked a lot, and it was the conversations that made us curious about each other, says Thomas Olofsson in after five.

They have never tried to convert each other to each party, instead they find it exciting to hear each other’s different opinions. But sometimes it can heat up in the discussions.

– We like taxes, NATO and other issues that we may avoid talking about.

And they have a trick to avoid big noise.

– When it is a burning electoral movement, we have an unwritten rule not to say anything nasty about the other party leader, because then there would be divorce warning, says Nina Berggård.

Psychologist’s warning

Psychologist Anna Bennich can see the benefits of challenging her views in a relationship. But she still warns that basic values, such as political views and religion, can be risk factors for separation.

– Equal children play best seems to be what works in the long term.