Three candidates have officially secured their places on the ballot for October’s Irish presidential election, ready to succeed former president Michael D. Higgins.
Higgins has served as the president of Ireland for over a decade. His first term lasted from 2011-2018, while his second term (2018-present) will end in November, 2025.
The competition will be a combination of political background and sporting celebrity.
The government coalition parties have nominated their candidate i.e., Fianna Fáil nominated Jim Gavin, the previous manager of Dublin Gaelic football team which won the All-Ireland six times.
Fine Gael, following the withdrawal of its initial candidate, opted for Heather Humphreys, a retired minister with experience in the fields of justice and rural issues.
Catherine Connolly, an independent Galway parliament member, will challenge them. Connolly has gained support of the main opposition party Sinn Féin and other left-oriented parties in an important strategic move.
This widespread support makes her a serious opponent and it is considered a challenge to the opposition amid the approaching general election.
Several high-profile figures, such as musician Bob Geldof and fighter Conor McGregor, closed the nomination process having not attained the required support in local councils and parliamentarians.
The election, which shall be held on October 24, 2025, will be conducted through proportional representation, whereby voters will rank candidates according to their preferences. Voting will start on October 25, 2025.
The Irish president is a position that has few real powers, yet has a high moral authority. The winner of the race will have seven-year tenure at Aras an Uachtarain, the state house at the Phoenix Park in Dublin and become an important face of Ireland among the international community.
The campaign has now been launched in earnest and televised debates are set to be one of the key battlegrounds for three candidates.