Left-wing independent candidate Catherine Connolly has won Ireland’s presidential election, securing more than 63 % of the vote.
The results, reported by Agence France-Presse, showed that Connolly scored a decisive victory over centrist rival Heather Humphreys, who obtained 29.5 % of the ballots, succeeding President Michael D. Higgins, 84-year-old, who has served two consecutive terms since 2011.
A former lawyer, Connolly received support from major opposition parties, including the Green Party and the nationalist Sinn Féin. She opposes increasing defense spending and supports preserving Ireland’s policy of military neutrality, while maintaining its partnership program with NATO
