Catherine Connolly, a left-wing independent, has swept Ireland's presidential election, defeating Heather Humphreys of the center-right Fine Gael party. Humphreys conceded Saturday when Connolly was pulling 64% of the vote with two-thirds of ballots counted, the Guardian reports. Although Ireland's presidency is primarily symbolic, Connolly's victory is widely considered a rebuke of the center-right government. She managed to win in historically Fine Gael strongholds and was boosted by public frustration over housing and cost-of-living issues, as well as campaign missteps by the ruling parties.
Connolly, 68, said Saturday evening at Dublin Castle that she will champion diversity and be a voice for peace, building on Ireland's policy of neutrality, per the AP. "I would be an inclusive president for all of you, and I regard it as an absolute honor," she said. A longtime critic of the European Union in a country that overwhelmingly supports it, Connolly, a former clinical psychologist and barrister from County Galway, was not well known at the start of the campaign, per Reuters. She was backed by an alliance of left-wing opposition parties and drew significant support from younger voters. Effective use of social media, along with endorsements from artists and musicians, helped Connolly's campaign gain momentum.
A record 13% of ballots were spoiled, a sign of voter dissatisfaction with the choices. Turnout was estimated at 40%. Humphreys, 62, received 29% of the vote, while Jim Gavin of Fianna Fáil—who withdrew late due to a financial scandal—garnered 7%. Humphreys said Saturday that her family endured "awful sectarian abuse" during the campaign, per the BBC. She was raised a Presbyterian, and her father belonged to the Orange Order, a Protestant organization that opposes a united Ireland. "As a country I thought we'd moved on," Humphreys said. "If we're ever to have a united Ireland we have to respect all traditions." Connolly will succeed Michael Higgins.
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