Catherine Connolly, a veteran lawmaker on the far-left of Irish politics, was expected to be elected president with a significant majority. She is 68 years old and running as an independent candidate supported by left-dominated opposition parties. Early vote counts indicated that Connolly was likely to receive over 60% of the vote, far surpassing her closest rival, Heather Humphreys, a candidate from the governing party who was projected to receive in the high 20s.
Connolly, known for her critical views on the European Union and military spending, gained popularity throughout the campaign, particularly among younger voters, by criticizing government policies like housing. She is a former clinical psychologist and barrister and previously served as the deputy speaker of Ireland’s lower house after her election in 2016.
The role of the Irish president is mostly ceremonial with limited powers, yet the president often represents Ireland on the global stage. Connolly’s ascent came amid challenges for the center-right coalition, which faced difficulties in its campaign after both its candidates withdrew from the race due to various issues. A final election result was expected to be declared later that day.
With information from Reuters