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Catherine Connolly's Landslide Victory: Ireland Elects First Left-Wing President

Independent politician Catherine Connolly has won Ireland's presidential election with a commanding 63.36% of first preference votes. The 68-year-old left-wing candidate defeated Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys in what was predicted to be a landslide victory. Connolly, who has served as Galway West MP since 2016, becomes Ireland's 10th President and will succeed Michael D. Higgins next month. Her victory represents a significant political shift, backed by Sinn Fein and several left-wing parties despite starting as a marginal candidate.

Key Points: Catherine Connolly Wins Ireland Presidential Election With 63%

  • Connolly secured overwhelming 63.36% of first preference votes in landslide victory
  • Backed by Sinn Fein and left-wing parties against Fine Gael candidate
  • Will succeed President Michael D. Higgins after his 14-year tenure
  • Previously served as Deputy Speaker and Galway West MP since 2016
2 min read

Independent Left-wing politician Catherine Connolly wins Ireland's Presidential election

Independent left-wing candidate Catherine Connolly wins Ireland's presidential election with 63.36% of first preference votes, becoming the country's 10th President.

"The President-elect will have the full support of this office as she prepares for her inauguration next month - Michael D. Higgins"

London, Oct 26

Independent politician Catherine Connolly has won Ireland's Presidential election and will serve as the country's 10th President after receiving 63.36 per cent of first preference votes, according to official results released.

The 68-year-old candidate, backed by several Left-wing parties, including Sinn Fein, competed with Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys, a former Government Minister, in the election that began on Friday.

The results released on late Saturday evening show a landslide for Connolly, as was predicted by opinion polls, with 914,143 first preference votes.

Humphreys, who won 29.46 per cent of first preference votes, has congratulated Connolly on becoming "a President for all of us" on Saturday afternoon, before the full results were released, Xinhua news agency reported.

A third candidate on the ballot, the Fianna Fail-backed Jim Gavin, withdrew from the race earlier in October following a controversy over a rental dispute.

Connolly has served as a member of Parliament for the Galway West constituency since 2016, and previously worked as a psychologist and barrister.

She became the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament's Lower House in 2020, the first woman ever to hold the post.

Connolly will be sworn in to succeed incumbent President Michael D. Higgins, who is set to complete the second of his two consecutive seven-year terms in November.

Connolly said during the presidential poll campaign that she would respect the limits of the office, which some interpreted as a tacit promise to rein in controversial views, but analysts predicted friction with the government.

She was a marginal political figure when she declared her candidacy in July, and only small parties -- the Social Democrats and People Before Profit -- backed her. Labour then endorsed her, and Sinn Fein, which had decided to not run its own candidate, threw its formidable resources and electoral organisation behind Connolly.

Higgins, who has been President for 14 years, congratulated Connolly in a phone call.

"The President-elect will have the full support of this office as she prepares for her inauguration next month," he said in a statement.

The Presidency is a largely ceremonial office but Connolly's victory was a stinging rebuke to the Centre-right government.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
A landslide victory with 63% votes! This reminds me of how Indian voters sometimes give massive mandates. Hope she delivers on her promise to respect the office's limits while bringing positive change.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows Irish politics, I'm cautiously optimistic. Connolly's rise from being a marginal figure to winning the presidency shows that grassroots movements can succeed. The ceremonial role might limit her impact though.
A
Arjun K
Good to see more women breaking barriers in politics worldwide! First woman Deputy Speaker and now President. Ireland setting an example for gender representation in leadership roles. 👏
V
Vikram M
While I appreciate the democratic process, I hope her left-wing policies don't negatively impact Ireland's economy. Sometimes ideological positions can be impractical for governance. The proof will be in her actual performance.
K
Kavya N
The peaceful transition of power and the gracious concession by her opponent shows mature democracy in action. Something all countries can learn from! Wishing President Connolly success in her new role.

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