Left-leaning independent Connolly wins Irish presidential election

LONDON (AP) – Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly is set to become Ireland’s next president after her rival conceded defeat in a presidential election Saturday.

Vote counting was still underway but ahead of the official result, Heather Humphreys, of the center-right party Fine Gael, told reporters that she wanted “to congratulate Catherine Connolly on becoming the next president of Ireland.”

“Catherine will be a president for all of us and she will be my president, and I really would like to wish her all the very, very best,” she said.

Polls have suggested consistent and strong voter support for Connolly, 68, over Humphreys, 64, for president, a largely ceremonial role in Ireland.

Connolly, a former barrister and an independent 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.

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,” adding “it is clear she will be the next president of Ireland.”

Martin 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.”

Initial and incomplete results show Connolly taking more than 60% of votes.

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.

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.

While Irish presidents represent the country on the world stage, host visiting heads of state and play an important constitutional role, they do not have the power to shape 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.”

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.

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.

Voting slips were being counted by hand. The final result will be declared later Saturday once all 43 electoral constituencies have completed counting.