Catherine Connolly won Ireland’s presidential election with over 63% of the vote, pledging a presidency grounded in peace and neutrality.
Independent left-wing candidate Catherine Connolly has won the presidential election in Ireland, securing more than 63% of the vote against centrist Heather Humphreys, who garnered 29.5%, in a race marked by an unusually high number of spoiled ballots.
Her victory signals a significant political shift and strengthens the position of the critical left in Europe.
Around 3.6 million voters were called to the polls on Friday to elect a successor to 84-year-old Michael Higgins, who had held the largely ceremonial office since 2011. It was the first time since 1990 that only two candidates, both women, competed for the presidency.
Connolly, 68, a lawyer and member of parliament, is known for her criticism of the United States, NATO, and the European Union, as well as for her anti-militarist stance and vocal support for Palestine.
Connolly thus becomes the third woman to head Ireland, an EU member state since 1973 with a population of 5.2 million. “It will be an immense privilege to serve you,” she said in her victory speech.
“To those who did not vote for me or who spoiled their ballots, let me assure you I will be an inclusive president, a listener, a voice for peace, and a defender of our neutrality,” she added.
Humphreys congratulated her opponent, saying: “Catherine will be a president for all of us. She will be my president, and I wish her the very best,” according to Ireland’s public broadcaster RTE.
The election saw low voter turnout at 45.2%, just above the record low of 43.9% in 2018. Spoiled ballots reached 13.2%, reflecting dissatisfaction among conservative voters who criticized the lack of right-wing options and encouraged protest votes.
Known for her pacifist rhetoric, Connolly has accused NATO of engaging in warmongering practices and compared Germany’s defense spending to that of the 1930s.
She has voted against multiple EU treaties and described Hamas as “part of the social fabric of the Palestinian people.” The president-elect has pledged to visit Palestine after taking office to personally express her solidarity and has condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza as an act of genocide.
