Young people in Northern Ireland will force the territory to unite with the Irish Republic, a writer and campaigner has argued.
According to Emma DeSouza, writing in the Guardian, “peace babies” aged 18 to 24 who grew up under the Good Friday Agreement seek change outside of the United Kingdom.
She cited polls and survey results indicating that the vast majority of the younger generation does not support unionism.
The author cited young Northern Irish activists who cited Brexit disenchantment, the breakdown of power-sharing at Stormont, and the “Troubles” legacy bill as reasons to oppose the union.
Ellie-Jo Taylor, 19, said: “We are campaigning for our future, for a return to the European Union within a united Ireland.”
The publication’s op-ed comes after DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said this week that he would not see a united Ireland in his lifetime.
But he accused “complacent” British governments of neglecting Northern Ireland and jeopardising its future in Britain.
Sir Jeffrey asked: “Where is our government making the case for the Union?”
His comments came after Irish taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he would see the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland unite in his lifetime.
In an interview with RTÉ, Mr Varadkar said: “I believe we are on the path to unification. I believe there will be a united Ireland in my lifetime.”
He added: “In that united Ireland there is going to be a minority, roughly a million people, who are British and you judge the success and the quality of a country by the way it treats its minorities. And that’s something we are going to have to think about.”