Catherine Connolly Wins Irish Presidency in Historic Election

Catherine Connolly has been elected as the president of Ireland after a landslide victory. She has become the 10th president of the Republic of Ireland after defeating Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys, who had already conceded to her rival.

The result, long clear from early tallies, was officially declared at Dublin Castle. Connolly, an independent candidate, was backed by the major left-wing parties, and she pledged to be an inclusive president for all in her acceptance speech.

At 68, Connolly, who has been a member of the Irish parliament since 2016, secured 914,143 first preference votes, representing 63% of the total. This is the largest percentage of first preference votes in Irish presidential election history. Connolly's acceptance speech was delivered in both Irish and English.

In her speech, she stated, I will be a president who listens and reflects and who speaks when it's necessary. I will be a voice for peace, a voice that builds on our policy of neutrality, and a voice that articulates the existential threat posed by climate change. Dublin correspondent Gabija Gataveckaite noted that Connolly was viewed as the anti-establishment candidate who successfully took on Humphreys, the government's choice.

With the exclusion of spoiled votes, Humphreys received 29% first preference votes, while Jim Gavin, who withdrew from the race but remained on the ballot, won 7%. An unprecedented 213,738 votes were counted as spoiled in an election with a turnout of 46%. Notably, Cavan–Monaghan was the only constituency won by Humphreys, who represented it from 2011-2024.

After Connolly's victory, Humphreys expressed her gratitude to those who voted for her, acknowledging Connolly as the president for all. Catherine will be my president and I want to wish her well, she stated.

The president of Ireland serves as the head of state, representing the country abroad and ensuring the constitution is upheld. While the powers of the presidency are limited, the influence of its holder can be significant.

Connolly will be inaugurated on 11 November, with Higgins leaving office the day before. Higgins congratulated Connolly on this momentous occasion, offering the full support of the office as she prepares for her inauguration.

'A Woman with a Very Independent Mind'

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin remarked that an outstanding honour has been bestowed upon Connolly, reinforcing that the electorate has given her a clear mandate. Tánaiste Simon Harris acknowledged the high level of spoiled votes, noting that many voters went to significant lengths to spoil their ballots. Sinn Féin, the primary opposition party, expressed its support for Connolly, marking a shift away from the politics of establishment parties. Mary Lou McDonald, president of Sinn Féin, characterized the election as a stunning victory and emphasized Connolly's independent stance.

Connolly has indicated a desire for a border poll on the island of Ireland during her presidency, which could potentially alter the political landscape further. In Northern Ireland, First Minister Michelle O'Neill welcomed Connolly's victory, describing it as an era of hope and emphasizing cooperation between parties committed to change.