Catherine Connolly Set to Be Ireland’s Next President as Opponent Concedes

The role of Ireland’s presidency is mostly ceremonial, with the president holding no executive or policy role.

Independent candidate Catherine Connolly casts her vote in the election for the next Irish president at Claddagh National School in Galway city, Ireland, on Oct. 24, 2025. Brian Lawless/PA via AP

Catherine Connolly, a left-wing independent candidate, is set to become Ireland’s next president after her opponent conceded defeat during an election on Oct. 25.

Heather Humphreys, 64, of the center-right party Fine Gael, announced her concession on Saturday, as vote counting was still underway. Ahead of the final result, Humphreys told reporters that she wanted “to congratulate Catherine Connolly on becoming the next president of Ireland.”