wedge issue

American  

noun

1. an issue that divides or causes conflict in an otherwise unified group.

   Abortion is a wedge issue for the Republican Party.

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wedge issue British  

noun

1. an issue that is likely to cause division between the members of a group

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Etymology

Origin of wedge issue

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Even so, she has gone out of her way not to turn the death penalty into a wedge issue.

From Salon • Nov. 8, 2022

In Latin America, it is common for people to dismiss racism and deem class the primary wedge issue between groups, Hernández added.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2022

For those who don’t remember, Thompson was the attorney who led the charge against violent video games and helped morph a fringe topic into a dominant wedge issue of the mid-2000s.

From The Verge • Mar. 10, 2022

Miller attributes the change to more people attending college, where most students are required to take at least one science course, as well as to the waning power of evolution as a wedge issue.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 25, 2021

Ever the salesman, Mr. Simmons knew a wedge issue when he saw one, but certainly careers like Ms. Ross’s are what he envisioned for the acts on his label, Def Jam.

From New York Times • Jun. 21, 2012