The independent left-wing candidate Catherine Connolly is given the winner of the presidential election in Ireland, her only rival and member of a centrist party having recognized her defeat on Saturday afternoon. According to the first counting of the ballots, Catherine Connolly, 68, could win a landslide victory.
This election for this essentially honorary post, however, is tarnished by low participation and a record quantity of invalid ballots, some of which carried anti-immigration messages or the words “no democracy”. Many voters were frustrated by the absence of a right-wing candidate.
“Catherine will be a president for all of us and she will be my president,” reacted the candidate of the centrist Fine Gael party, Heather Humphreys, on public television RTE, conceding defeat. Catherine Connolly was congratulated by Simon Harris, the Irish Deputy Prime Minister, also from Fine Gael. “I wish him all the best,” he said on X.
After the publication of the final results, scheduled for Saturday evening, Catherine Connolly should succeed Michael Higgins, 84, who has had two seven-year terms since 2011. It was the first time since 1990 that only two candidates ran for the Irish presidency. As of Saturday morning, Catherine Connolly was pleased with the first results. “I’m absolutely delighted,” she said, thanking all her supporters.
Criticism of the United States and the EU
This ex-lawyer known for her outspokenness, an MP since 2016, is supported by the main opposition parties, including the Greens and the nationalist group Sinn Fein, formerly the political showcase of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). She is critical of the United States and the European Union, of which Ireland, a country of 5.2 million inhabitants, became a member in 1973.
Opposed to an increase in defense spending, she is in favor of maintaining the tradition of military neutrality of Ireland, which has a partnership program with NATO but is not part of it.
In September, she reiterated her condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “I never, ever hesitated. What I am saying is that a neutral country like ours should denounce the abuse of power by anyone – by Russia and also by America,” she added.
Catherine Connolly, who speaks fluent Gaelic and favors the reunification of Ireland, said during the campaign that she wanted to be “a president for all citizens, especially those who are often excluded and silenced.”
This charismatic and athletic 68-year-old woman is also a leading pro-Palestinian voice in Parliament. Very critical of Israel, she said she would go to Palestine if elected and condemned “the genocide” in the Gaza Strip. She has managed to appeal to young voters by appearing in popular podcasts and in a viral video showing her playing soccer.
Disaster for the two major center-right parties
Commentators predict that his strong positions on foreign policy, defense and also housing could cause tensions with the government, a coalition dominated by the two major center-right parties, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. This election day was “disastrous” for these two parties, commented the political columnist of the Irish Times newspaper, Pat Leahy.
Catherine Connolly’s “handling of relations with a government that she clearly believes is pursuing bad policies now creates new uncertainty – and possibly conflict – in Irish politics”, he wrote.
Voters could also vote for Jim Gavin, from the centrist Fianna Fail party, but with no hope of him winning as he announced his withdrawal from the race a few weeks ago. The Conservative candidate, Maria Steen, had not gathered enough support among parliamentarians.
Several celebrities had initially considered running before throwing in the towel, such as mixed martial arts (MMA) star Conor McGregor, musician and philanthropist Bob Geldof and Irish-American dancer Michael Flatley.
