Progressives and Democrats didn’t just sweep American elections in the last week; Ireland also elected a far-left lawyer and political independent as its new president.
Catherine Connolly won the largest popular mandate of any candidate since the office was created in 1937, according to the New York Times. It’s a largely symbolic post, but Connolly has been outspoken about her views — she has accused NATO of warmongering and said that Israel’s war on Gaza, which she characterizes as genocide, “was enabled and resourced by American money.”
She has also criticized the current government for abandoning the idea of Irish neutrality as other parts of Europe militarize as a response to U.S. disengagement.
The 68-year-old politician, who was backed by Sinn Fein, the dominant Irish nationalist party, has been compared to Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour Party leader in Britain, and Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, who won by bucking the establishment.
She succeeds Michael Higgins, who was president of Ireland for 14 years. When Connolly made her victory speech at Dublin Castle, she spoke in Irish rather than in English and has vowed to champion diversity and the Irish language.
“The people have spoken and have given their president a powerful mandate to articulate their vision for a new republic, a republic worthy of its name where everyone is valued and diversity is cherished, where sustainable solutions are urgently implemented, and where a home is a fundamental human right,” she said in her speech, according to The Guardian.
