GLOBAL — Independent left-wing parliamentarian Catherine Connolly is set to become Ireland's tenth president after securing a commanding lead in the nation's presidential election, with early tallies on Saturday, 25th October 2025, indicating a landslide victory. The result delivers a significant rebuke to the ruling centre-right coalition government and signals a potential pivot in Ireland’s international posture.

Reports from count centres, which began tallying votes from 11:00 AM EAT (9:00 AM local time), showed Ms. Connolly, 68, leading her opponent, former cabinet minister Heather Humphreys, 64, by a margin of more than two-to-one in several constituencies. In her home constituency of Galway West, final tallies showed Connolly taking a remarkable 77% of the first preference votes. The decisive outcome confirms opinion polls from the eve of the Friday, 24th October election, which had predicted a comfortable win for the independent candidate.

While the Irish presidency is a largely ceremonial role, the head of state holds significant soft power and represents the nation on the global stage. Ms. Connolly's victory is being interpreted as a reflection of widespread public discontent with the government over pressing domestic issues, particularly a severe housing crisis and the rising cost of living.

Her opponent, Ms. Humphreys of the Fine Gael party, was closely associated with the unpopular ruling coalition and struggled to gain traction against Connolly’s message of change. Connolly, a former barrister and clinical psychologist, successfully galvanized younger voters and was backed by a rare alliance of Ireland’s main left-wing opposition parties, including Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, and the Social Democrats.

A Shift in Foreign Policy and Implications for Kenya

For Kenya and the wider East Africa region, the election of a president with Ms. Connolly’s long-held political convictions could herald a new chapter in relations with a key European partner. Ireland and Kenya share a deep-rooted relationship, with diplomatic ties formally established in 1979 and strengthened by the reopening of the Irish Embassy in Nairobi in 2014. The partnership is multifaceted, encompassing growing trade, development cooperation, and shared multilateral goals, such as co-facilitating the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015.

Ms. Connolly is a staunch advocate for Irish military neutrality and has been a vocal critic of what she terms the “war-mongering military industrial complex” in Europe. Characterised as a pacifist and socialist, her foreign policy views are often described as anti-war and critical of Western military alliances like NATO. During her campaign, she reaffirmed her commitment to neutrality as an “active, living tradition of peace-making, bridge-building, and compassionate diplomacy.” She has also been a prominent voice in solidarity with the Palestinian people, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

This stance may find a receptive audience in Nairobi and other African capitals that have historically maintained non-aligned positions in global geopolitics. A shift in tone from Dublin, guided by a president championing anti-militarism and a foreign policy rooted in social justice, could strengthen collaboration on shared priorities like climate action, peacebuilding, and fair international trade.

This approach would build on Ireland's existing 'Strategy for Africa to 2025', which aims to deepen political and economic partnerships across the continent. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, two-way trade in goods and services between Ireland and Africa surpassed €7.8 billion by 2022. In March 2025, Ireland's Minister of State for International Development, Neale Richmond TD, visited Kenya to underscore this commitment.

The Candidates: A Study in Contrasts

The election presented Irish voters with a stark choice. Catherine Connolly, an independent Member of Parliament (Teachta Dála) for Galway West since 2016, has a long history of activism and has served as the deputy speaker of the Irish parliament (Leas-Cheann Comhairle). Her campaign focused on using the presidency as a moral voice for the nation, addressing inequality, and defending Irish neutrality.

Heather Humphreys represented the political establishment. A Fine Gael politician for the Cavan-Monaghan constituency from 2011 to 2024, she served in multiple senior government roles, including Minister for Social Protection, Minister for Rural and Community Development, and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. She campaigned as a pro-business, pro-EU candidate who would offer stability and unity. However, her long career in government ultimately tied her to the public's frustrations, paving the way for Connolly's historic win.