Catherine Connolly, a left-wing independent, won a resounding victory in the election and will become Ireland’s tenth president. According to official statistics, Connolly received widespread support from voters for the largely ceremonial position of president in Ireland. After spoiled ballots were subtracted, she received 63% of first-preference votes, while her opponent Heather Humphreys of the center-right party Fine Gael received 29%.
Connolly, 68, declared at Dublin Castle on Saturday night that she will support diversity, speak out for peace, and “build on our policy of neutrality. 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. Numerous left-leaning parties, including as Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, and the Social Democrats, have endorsed the candidate.
Connolly received congratulations from Prime Minister Micheál Martin on Saturday for her “very comprehensive election victory.” 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,” he expressed his excitement about collaborating with the incoming president.
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