Independent candidate Catherine Connolly has won the Irish presidential election. Her main rival, Heather Humphreys of the centrist Fine Gael party, officially announced her victory, according to RTE.
“Catherine will be our president. She will be my president. I would like to wish her all the best. I have no regrets,” Humphreys said.
Connolly expressed her joy, speaking after the preliminary vote count.
“I want to thank everyone, even those who didn’t vote for me,” she said.
Humphreys wished her opponent success and all the best in her new role.
With 65% of the votes counted, Connolly has 64% of the vote, while Humphreys has 29%. Preliminary estimates put turnout at approximately 40% of the 3.6 million eligible voters.
Despite Fine Gael being part of the ruling coalition in Ireland, their candidate failed to beat an independent competitor in this election.
