A generation ago, people across this island chose a new path. They imagined a future built not on division but on recognition and respect; a place where identity should not determine opportunity, and where citizenship would mean equality in practice as well as principle.
Yet more than a quarter of a century later, a contradiction remains. Citizens on the northern side of the border are afforded fewer rights than their counterparts in the South. A line on a map drawn long before most of us were born, still dictates who has a voice in a critical democratic choice. Someone in Newry, Derry or Armagh has less say in that decision than a neighbour in Drogheda or Donegal. That cannot be justified in a modern republic that prides itself on fairness and inclusion.
Ireland is renowned for its commitment to democracy -admired internationally for protecting rights, promoting peace, and standing up for equality. But on this issue, that reputation is undermined. In truth, Ireland stands apart from many of its European neighbours: most extend presidential voting rights to all citizens, recognising that belonging cannot be measured in miles or borders. Yet we continue to tell Irish citizens in the North that their voice ends where the line on the map begins.
As Leader of the SDLP, I’m often asked about the forthcoming presidential election and about who I think should be the next President. But those questions carry an irony. For Irish citizens living here, our opinions are largely academic. The new and reconciled Ireland the SDLP is trying to build will address bigger issues of economy, services and opportunity - we appreciate that working those out is complex, which makes the restriction on presidential voting even more jarring.
Citizenship matters. It is a living bond between people and their democracy. It is the foundation of belonging - the assurance that your voice counts and that your future is tied to the decisions made in your name. When some citizens are denied that connection, the whole idea of a shared identity is weakened.
Extending the vote would ensure that citizenship means equality, wherever on this island a person lives. It would recognise that our democracy is enriched, not threatened, when more voices are heard.
Crucially, this step could help open up the national conversation in a way that feels more inclusive. For many, participation in an all-island democratic process may be their first act of civic engagement with modern Ireland. It would demonstrate that a new Ireland is being built not for one community or tradition, but for everyone who calls this island home. It would help show that the project of a new Ireland is about opening minds and widening belonging.
This must be the last presidential election where Irish citizens in the North are treated as second-class.
Across this island, people are beginning to look again at what binds us together and what kind of country we might yet become.
Extending the franchise would help up fulfil the promise made by that generation who chose partnership over division.
The next President of Ireland should be chosen by Irish citizens North and South. Anything less falls short of the democratic ideals that define who we are and who we still aspire to be.