Ireland: Left-wing Connolly wins presidential election

Deutsche Welle (DW)CenterEN 3 min read 100% complete by Karl Sexton with AFP, ReutersOctober 25, 2025 at 08:15 PM

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Catherine Connolly, an independent leftist candidate, has won Ireland's presidential election by a landslide, securing over 64.7% of the vote. The election took place on October 25, 2025, with low voter turnout of 46.3% and high number of spoiled ballots. Connolly, a 68-year-old lawmaker from Galway, ran on a platform of "peace," "unity," and "neutrality" and was endorsed by several left-leaning parties. Her victory is seen as a damning verdict for Ireland's center-right coalition government. The election effectively turned into a "referendum on the center-right government," with many voters expressing dissatisfaction with all parties, particularly over issues such as immigration. Connolly will succeed Michael D Higgins, who completed two full terms as president since 2011.

Key Topics & Entities

Michael D Higgins 50% Fine Gael ×280% Fianna Fail 80% Catherine Connolly ×9100% Ireland ×5100%

Keywords

presidential election 90% leftist views 90% center-right coalition government 80% left-wing 80% coalition government 70% ireland 70% united states 60% spoiled ballots 60% low voter turnout 50% european union 50%