Ireland’s president for the next seven years is an independent lawmaker who has long expressed support for the Palestinians and has been outspoken about her distrust of EU policies.
Catherine Connolly, a 68-year-old left-wing independent, received 63% of the vote in the election An overwhelming victory in the election On Saturday, she easily defeated her center-right opponent, former cabinet minister Heather Humphreys.
The politician won after Ireland’s left-leaning opposition parties, including sinn feinrallying behind her, who is expected to become a bold voice challenging Ireland’s centre-right government.
Although Irish presidents have a primarily ceremonial role and do not have executive powers such as making laws, they represent Ireland on the world stage and are often seen as a unifying voice on major issues. Connolly will succeed Michael HigginsA popular president who has been outspoken on issues such as the Gaza war and NATO spending.
Connolly vowed on Saturday to be “an inclusive president” who would champion diversity and be “a voice for peace.”
Take a look at Connolly’s background and perspective:
From independent member to president
Connolly, a mother of two sons, has served three terms as an independent councilor for Galway West since being elected as a councilor in 2016. In 2020, she became the first woman to serve as deputy speaker of the lower house of parliament.
She grew up in social housing on the outskirts of Galway in west Ireland, one of 14 children. Her mother died when she was nine, and her father worked in a local shipyard. As a student, she volunteered with a Catholic organization, helped the elderly, and took on other community roles.
She has degrees in clinical psychology and law and was a lawyer before entering politics.
Connolly began her political career in 1999 when she was elected as a Labor councilor on Galway City Council. Five years later she was elected Mayor of Galway. She left the Labor Party in 2007.
Outspoken against Israel and the EU
Connolly has not shied away from criticizing Israel over the Gaza war.
In September, she drew criticism for calling Hamas “part of the Palestinian people.” Prime Minister Michael Martin She was criticized for her seeming reluctance to condemn the militant group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked Two years of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
She later insisted that she “completely condemned” Hamas’ actions while also criticizing Israel for what she called genocide in Gaza.
On the European front, she has repeatedly criticized the EU’s increasing “militarization” after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, comparing it to Nazi-era armaments in the 1930s and questioning NATO’s expansion in the east. Critics said these and other comments critical of the United States and Britain risked alienating Ireland’s allies.
Connolly also stressed that she wanted to defend Ireland’s tradition of military neutrality in the face of calls for Ireland to contribute more to European defense. During the campaign, she said there should be a referendum on the government’s plans to scrap the “triple lock”, a condition for Irish soldiers to be deployed on international duty.
Connolly’s outspoken style and message of social equality and inclusion appealed to many, especially young voters. During the televised presidential debate, she said she would respect the restrictions of her office, although she also said in her inaugural address that she would speak as president “when necessary.”
“Together we can build a new republic that values everyone, that values and celebrates diversity, that is confident in our own identity, our Irish language, our English and the new immigrants who come to our country,” she said in Dublin Castle on Saturday.