Flag politics: explaining the meaning, failure, and persistence of the proposal for a new flag in Northern Ireland

Abstract Public debate regarding whether Northern Ireland should get a new flag, like other polities which have undergone major political transitions, has persisted since the 1990s. This is the first scholarly article to examine the politics and comparative dimensions of the issue. It begins by reviewing the multidisciplinary literature on flags before tracing the new flag question from the start of the peace process until 2026. Public and political perspectives are analysed. The Discussion notes four interwoven ideological themes in the proposals—civic nationalism, regionalism, post-nationalism, and reconciliation. Reasons why the new flag proposition has both failed and recurred are explained.