Catherine Connolly was the main favorite ahead of Heather Humphreys of the centrist Fine Gael party.
DUBLIN: Left-wing politician and long-time critic of the European Union and the United States Catherine Connolly, who ran as an independent, is likely to win Saturday’s presidential election in Ireland. This is according to the preliminary results, which indicate a smooth victory for her. At the same time, the number of invalid votes could reach an unprecedented level.
Catherine Connolly is “almost certain” to become Ireland’s 10th president, according to Labor Party leader Ivana Bacik, whose party has backed the likely winner.
“It seems likely that Connolly will be elected and we will now focus as a government on working with her,” Higher Education Minister James Lawless, a member of the right-wing ruling Fianna Fáil party, told public broadcaster RTÉ.
She was one of the favorites in the presidential election
Catherine Connolly was the main favorite ahead of Heather Humphreys of the centrist Fine Gael party. Experts predicted a low turnout due to the frustration of voters who could only choose from two main candidates. Many voters also decided to deface their ballots. According to Connolly’s election team, their share could reach up to 10 percent of all votes cast.
Conservatives called on voters to do this before the elections in order to protest the lack of right-wing candidates. Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin resigned at the last minute in early October following revelations about an outstanding overpayment to a former tenant of his property dating back to 2009, which he only paid back during the campaign.
Catherine Connolly previously worked as a psychologist and lawyer. She was first elected to parliament in 2016 and was the deputy speaker of the lower house. If he wins the representative office of head of state, he will replace 84-year-old Michael Higgins, who has been president since 2011.
In a short speech to RTÉ at a polling center in Galway city, Connolly thanked voters and promised to do everything in her power to represent those who did not vote for her.
