Khaberni - Independent leftist candidate Catherine Connolly won the Presidential Election in Ireland, which took place on Friday, capturing over 63% of the votes, according to official results released on Saturday.
Connolly achieved a significant victory over her centrist rival, Heather Humphreys, who only obtained 29.5% of the votes.
68-year-old Connolly will succeed Michael D. Higgins, who is 84 years old and has held the office for two consecutive seven-year terms since 2011.
The elections saw a decline in voter turnout and a record number of voided votes, some of which carried anti-immigration messages or the phrase "no democracy."
Many voters felt frustrated by the lack of a right-wing candidate.
Heather Humphreys conceded defeat on public television "RTE" saying, "Catherine will be a president for all of us, and she will be my president."
This is the first time since 1990 that only two candidates have competed for the presidency of Ireland.
On Saturday morning, Connolly welcomed the preliminary results, thanking all her supporters by saying, "I am very happy."
Connolly, a former lawyer known for her outspokenness, received support from major opposition parties including the Green Party and the nationalist Sinn Féin Party.
Connolly opposes increased defense spending and supports the tradition of military neutrality for Ireland, which is linked to a partnership program with NATO but is not a member.
In September, Connolly reiterated her condemnation of the Russian war on Ukraine.
Catherine Connolly is also considered one of the voices supporting the Palestinians in the Irish Parliament, and she has been a member since 2016.
Her strong stances on issues such as foreign policy, housing, workers' rights, and reducing defense spending have caused tensions with the government formed from a coalition dominated by the two main center-right parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
