I agree with sarahsweets about love, or if just a friend at least liking and respect.

It's good for the partner to understand the disorder so as to support adequately and encourage. Tolerance and imperturbability help. Devotion.

However, a person with bipolar disorder is a person and not just an illness. A partner should have the same core expectations of a partner with bipolar disorder as they would someone without the disorder. Core expectations vary. For example, if money-making or baby making was a core expectation of my husband, there would have been a problem. For some people they are mandatory.