Left-leaning independent Catherine Connolly wins Irish presidential election

LONDON (AP) — Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly, who secured the backing of Ireland’s left-leaning parties including Sinn Féin, has won the country’s presidential election in a landslide victory against her center-right rival.

Official results showed strong voter support for Connolly as president, a largely ceremonial role in Ireland. She won 63% of first-preference votes once spoiled votes were excluded, compared to 29% of her rival Heather Humphreys, of the center-right party Fine Gael.

Connolly, 68, said Saturday evening at Dublin Castle that she would champion diversity and be a voice for peace and one that “builds on our policy of neutrality.”

“I would be an inclusive president for all of you, and I regard it as an absolute honor,” she said.

Humphreys conceded she had lost earlier Saturday before vote counting had finished.

Connolly, a former barrister who has served as a lawmaker since 2016, has been outspoken in criticizing Israel over the war in Gaza. She has also warned against the European Union’s growing “militarization” following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ireland has a tradition of military neutrality, but her critics have said she risks alienating the country’s allies.

Connolly will succeed Michael D. Higgins, who has been president since 2011, having served the maximum two seven-year terms. She will be Ireland’s 10th president and the third woman to hold the post.

The politician has garnered the backing of a range of left-leaning parties, including Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats.

Prime Minister Micheál Martin on Saturday congratulated Connolly on her “very comprehensive election victory.” He said he was looking forward to working with the new president as “Ireland continues to play a significant role on the global stage, and as we look forward to hosting the EU presidency in the second half of 2026.”

Irish presidents represent the country on the world stage, host visiting heads of state and play an important constitutional role, but they do not have executive powers such as shaping laws or policies.

Nonetheless, parties on the left celebrated the results as a significant shift in Irish politics.

“We have seen a real appetite for the change that Catherine represents,” said Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik. “We believe this really does mean a new sort of politics is possible, that we can now realize the ambition that I talked about a year ago: The real prospect of a center-left-led government after the next general election.”

Connolly and Humphreys were the only contenders after Jim Gavin, the candidate for Martin’s Fianna Fail party, quit the race three weeks before the election over a long-ago financial dispute.

Martin, who heads Ireland’s government, had personally backed Gavin as a presidential candidate. Though Gavin had stopped campaigning, his name remained on the ballot paper because of his late withdrawal from the race. He won 7% of first preference votes.

Others — including musician Bob Geldof and the former mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor — had indicated they wished to run for president but failed to receive enough backing for a nomination.

The electoral commission said Saturday that there was a “significantly higher than normal” number of spoiled ballots, and that there will “clearly be a need for deeper and further reflection” about voter dissatisfaction.

Simon Harris, the deputy premier, said the spoiled ballots showed “the number of people in Ireland now who are clearly feeling disaffected or disconnected with politics.” He said officials will be looking at the possibility of changing the threshold needed to secure a nomination in future presidential elections.

About 46% of the 3.6 million eligible voters turned out to vote. There were nearly 214,000 invalid ballots nationwide, representing a tenfold increase on the last presidential election in 2018.