DUBLIN — Far-left lawmaker Catherine Connolly appeared set for a landslide victory in Ireland’s presidential election on Saturday, with early tallies showing her poised to more than double the vote count of her nearest rival, according to “Reuters”.
Connolly, 68, an independent candidate backed by Ireland’s left-wing opposition, surged ahead as members of the governing coalition conceded defeat even before the final count.
According to preliminary figures cited by party officials, Connolly is projected to capture over 60 percent of the vote, while Heather Humphreys, the Fine Gael candidate and former cabinet minister, trails in the high 20s.
“It does appear likely that Catherine Connolly will be elected, and we now move on to the job of working with her as a government,” said James Lawless, Ireland’s Higher Education Minister from the coalition partner Fianna Fáil.
A formal declaration of results is expected later on Saturday.
Connolly’s victory marks a remarkable rise for the Galway-based politician, long considered a fringe figure in Ireland’s political landscape. A former clinical psychologist and barrister, she entered parliament in 2016 and gained national recognition as deputy speaker of the lower house.
Known for her sharp critiques of the European Union and skepticism toward U.S. and NATO military influence, Connolly has drawn controversy for comparing Germany’s rearmament spending to that of the 1930s and for questioning Western policy on the war in Gaza.
Despite her radical credentials, Connolly’s campaign struck a chord with voters disillusioned by Ireland’s housing crisis and widening inequality. Analysts said her plainspoken style and independence from party machinery resonated especially with younger, urban voters.
The Irish presidency is largely ceremonial, but Connolly’s triumph underscores a broader political realignment and a growing appetite among Irish voters for voices outside the traditional centrist establishment.
