25/10/2025
RTE Radio 1, RTE News Channel and The Guardian carried breaking news at tea time on Saturday after the election of Catherine Connolly, an independent, left of centre, LGBTQ+ friendly and eco friendly candidate for the role of Irish President. Connolly polled nearly a million votes, with her main competitor, for the Fine Gael party, dropping to around four hundred thousand votes. Connolly takes over what is largely a ceremonial head of state function, but it was noted that her election shows what happens when progressive and leftist parties unite. Initially just representing the Social Democrats and People before Profit parties, Connolly later picked up endorsement from the Irish Labour Party and Sinn Fein, and the left unity brought in resources and professionalism to the campaign. Ms Connolly said she would represent the under-represented at a political level, and seek to unite the country, where, as elsewhere in Europe, right wing populism has become an increasing problem.
