Political divorces becoming more common since Trump victory

Most pundits agree that the political climate in California and around the country has become more divisive and acrimonious since the Donald Trump’s election victory in November, and a study from a Virginia-based polling firm suggests that arguments over politics have prompted one in ten couples to end their relationships. Millennials seem to be especially unable to cross the partisan divide. Almost a quarter of the millennials polled by Wakefield Research said that they had split up after arguing over these issues.

Wakefield Research conducted a telephone poll of 1,000 married and unmarried couples, and 24 percent of them said that they were arguing more often about politics in the wake of Trump’s win. In addition to admitting that political arguments were undermining their own relationships, almost a quarter of those polled claimed to know of couples who are floundering because of partisan bickering.

Family law attorneys have also reported an uptick in the number of politically-motivated divorces. Arguments over money remain one of the leading causes of marital breakups, but one in five couples now argues more about politics than they do about finances according to the polling firm.

Political, cultural or religious differences that may seem minor or even endearing during the early stages of a relationship can become cavernous divides as a marriage wears on. Negotiating delicate matters like spousal support or property division can be difficult even at the best of times, but the chances reaching an amicable agreement are made even more difficult when spouses do not see eye to eye on contentious issues. Experienced family law attorneys may encourage unmarried couples who wish to avoid protracted legal disputes to enter into prenuptial agreements, and this may be a particularly prudent step to take in states like California that have community property laws.