Copyright euroweeklynews
The election of a new Irish president took place on Friday, October 24, and the count is surprisingly ongoing considering a pailful low turnout. Tallies suggest the turnout as one of the smallest ever since the 1950s at around 38 to 40 per cent. Not since the earthquake general election of 2011, when Fianna Fail was almost made extinct in the wake of the financial crash, have Irish voters delivered such a resoundingly negative result in an election. Both campaigns have meant this was not so much a landslide victory, but a mudslide loss Controversial presidential choice results from 2nd lowest turnout ever The winner has been declared as Catherine Connelly, a barrister, who is pro-Putin, has been frequently accused of being pro-Assad, pro-Hamas, and anti-USA/EU. Sinn Fein supported her after she announced her candidacy. She is projected to receive about 54 per cent of the valid, unspoiled votes. She outspoken and an unequivocal supporter of Putin is said to believe that Europe should demilitarise. Connolly is vehemently anti-Israeli and is supported by Kneecap and other pro-Hamas republican icons. How the sitting government will control her when they failed to control President Higgins and his outbursts against Israel is anyone’s question ? Outspoken Irish president choice stands against Trump tariffs Ireland is in for a bumpy international ride, and this will not help bring unionists onside for a united Ireland. The Trump administration will also be watching closely after already hiking tariffs on electronics and pharmaceuticals related to Irish production. The other government candidate Heather Humphries has been branded as “bland” with few distinct policies, and her campaign was marred by her own claimed smears against Connelly rather than actually arguing counter points. Controversial family ties to Norther Irish Orange Order As a border county Presbyterian, her family are members of the Orange Order, making this style of political ideology a first in Republic of Ireland politics, and cob¡fusing to many. Humphries is in favour of fox hunting, she was well received in Monaghan and considered a status quo candidate. She also supported the failed referendum removing the word ‘woman’ from the constitution, language and law in 2024. Whoever in Fine Gael thought putting her candidacy forward in a country overrun, it has heads scratching. And the Irish Presidential election ended up with two most divisive and unpopular candidates, is anyone’s guess. Potentially largest campaign to “spoil votes” in an Irish election The #spoilthevote grassroots movement of dissent against this particular election appears to have come in at second place. As the votes continue to be counted, the number of spoilt votes is higher than it has ever been. In Irish elections and referenda, the spoilt vote is usually under 1.5 per cent, while this time it is looking more like 17 per cent. People have many different reasons for spoiling their ballot, but one thing is clear: There is deep dissatisfaction with the candidates on offer. A noticeable feature of quite a few spoilt votes is the name “Maria Steen” written across them. She was a centre-right potential candidate who was blocked from getting council votes by government party whips. Steen previously opposed abortion and voted no in the divorce referendum. Although it is important to note that the role of president is largely ceremonial and diplomatic and has no input into government policy. Steen campaigned against the referendum to remove the word ‘woman’ from the Irish constitution, legal language and law, which received the largest defeat of any referendum in Irish history. Seen as glamorous, eloquent and elegant with her style and intellect, not to mention charm. “We could have had our very own Jackie O, but FF/FG blocked that choice” says one X user.
