Successor to Michael D. Higgins Left-wing Catherine Connolly elected President of Ireland
The candidate Connolly, supported by a left-wing alliance, wins the presidential election in Ireland with an overwhelming majority. But there is also a downer.
26.10.2025, 07:03
dpa
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- Catherine Connolly has won the Irish presidential election with 63 percent.
- She wants to stand up for peace, neutrality and climate protection.
- Four ballots were invalid.
Catherine Connolly, supported by a left-wing alliance, has been elected the new President of Ireland. She clearly won the election with 63 percent of the votes cast, as reported by public broadcaster RTÉ.
"I will be a president who listens and reflects and will speak out when necessary," said Connolly in her acceptance speech. She will also be a voice for peace and one who will build on the country's policy of neutrality and make her voice heard when it comes to the existential threat of climate change, she said.
Connolly's victory became apparent early on
Her only rival, Heather Humphreys from the ruling center-right Fine Gael party, had already congratulated Connolly before the final result was known. "I would like to congratulate Catherine on becoming the next President of Ireland," said Humphreys. She added that Connolly would be a president for all and that she wished her the best. Humphreys only received just under 30 percent of the vote.
Head of government Micheal Martin had also not waited until the official result was available to offer his congratulations. It was clear that Connolly would be the next President of Ireland, he wrote on X.
Many ballots were invalidated
After Mary Robinson (1990-1997) and Mary McAleese (1997-2011), she will be the third woman to hold the highest office in the Republic of Ireland. She succeeds the 84-year-old incumbent, Michael D. Higgins, who served two terms in Áras an Uachtaráin, the residence of the Irish President in Dublin.
The independent candidate Connolly was supported by left-wing parties such as Sinn Féin, Labor, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and the Greens. Connolly is seen as a progressive politician who wants to unite and not divide. Nevertheless, she is not without controversy. In recent weeks, for example, she has been criticized for comparing Germany's current defence spending with the rearmament of the 1930s.
On a downer note, many ballots were reportedly invalidated in protest at the lack of other candidates.
Prominent rejections and withdrawals
The election campaign was characterized by prominent withdrawals and cancellations. Former Dublin football coach Jim Gavin, who was briefly considered the favorite, unexpectedly withdrew at the beginning of October after a "personal misstep" in connection with a real estate affair - too late for the ballot papers, which had already been printed at the time. Despite his withdrawal, more than 100,000 people still voted for him. Several world-famous Irishmen - including Riverdance legend Michael Flatley and the controversial martial artist Conor McGregor - were at times considered as candidates, but no official candidacy was ever announced.
Similar to Germany, the office of the Irish head of state is largely characterized by representative tasks. However, the president plays an important role as a moral authority. It is expected that Connolly will be able to fulfill this role in a similar way to her predecessor Higgins.
