Catherine Connolly leads Irish presidential vote as opponents concede.
Independent candidate and former deputy speaker praised for representing all voters.
Final result expected later on Saturday, confirming Connolly as 10th President.
Catherine Connolly, a veteran lawmaker on the left of the Irish political spectrum, is poised to be elected Ireland’s next President on Saturday, after members of the governing parties conceded defeat, Reuters reported.
Early vote counts, which began at 0800 GMT, showed Connolly, 68, with a substantial lead. An independent candidate, she is a long-time critic of the European Union in a country that is overwhelmingly pro-EU and was relatively unknown to the wider public before the campaign, Reuters noted.
“It does appear likely that Catherine Connolly will be elected and we now move on to the job of working with her as a government,” Higher Education Minister James Lawless, of the Fianna Fail party, told national broadcaster RTE.
Ireland’s presidency is largely ceremonial, with limited powers to review the constitutionality of legislation. Education Minister Helen McEntee also indicated that Connolly’s victory appeared likely. The only remaining opponent still campaigning was Heather Humphreys, the Fine Gael party candidate, while Fianna Fail’s nominee withdrew from the race just days into the campaign.
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik, whose party and other left-wing groups supported Connolly, said it was “almost certain” that she would become the 10th President of Ireland, according to Reuters.
Connolly, a former clinical psychologist and barrister, was first elected to parliament in 2016 and has served as a deputy speaker of the Lower House. Speaking briefly at her local County Galway count centre, she thanked voters and pledged to represent those who did not support her.
A final result is expected later on Saturday, Reuters reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
