Critic of EU and NATO wins Irish presidency

 

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly has long condemned Brussels’ push for military buildup

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly, a long-time advocate of Irish military neutrality and a critic of NATO’s expansion and EU militarization, has won Ireland’s presidential election in a landslide.

The ballot count was still underway when Connolly’s main rival, Heather Humphreys, conceded defeat after early tallies showed her trailing by a wide margin. Preliminary results put Connolly ahead by 63% to 29%.

“Catherine will be a president for all of us and she will be my president,” Humphreys told journalists.

Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin also formally congratulated Connolly on what he said “will be a very comprehensive election victory.”

Although an independent, the 68-year-old former Galway mayor was supported by major left-wing parties, including Sinn Fein and Labour.  (more...)

Critic of EU and NATO wins Irish presidency