Catherine Connolly, US and EU critic, takes over as Irish president

Left-wing politician Catherine Connolly, very critical of the USA and the European Union, officially took office today as president of Ireland, following her election in a vote in which she presented herself as the only independent candidate. The lawyer, aged 68, succeeds Michael Higgins, aged 84 and who has held the position since 2011 in the European Union member country, with a population of 5.2 million inhabitants.

Connolly won the October 24 election with 63% of the vote, vastly beating her rival Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael, one of the center-right parties in the governing coalition. The lawyer received support from the main opposition parties, such as the Greens and the nationalist group Sinn Fein. Although his position has a limited political role, his positions on foreign policy, defense or housing could lead to a period of friction between the presidency and the government, some commentators consider.

In his inaugural address, Connolly stated that, with its traditional stance of neutrality, Ireland was “in a good position to formulate and implement alternative diplomatic solutions to conflicts and wars”. It is also intended to promote unification between the Republic of Ireland and the British province of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill of the nationalist party Sinn Fein was present at his inauguration. On the other hand, the Deputy Prime Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly, from the unionist DUP party, declined the invitation citing a problem with her agenda related to the 1918 Armistice celebrations.