Far-left candidate who said Israel behaving like ‘terrorist state,’ called Hamas ‘part of fabric of Palestinian people,’ elected Irish president

Catherine Connolly, a far-left independent and harsh critic of Israel, has won Ireland’s presidential election in a landslide victory against her center-right rival.

Official results showed strong voter support for Connolly as president, a largely ceremonial role in Ireland. She won 63 percent of first-preference votes once ineligible votes were excluded, compared to 29% for her rival Heather Humphreys, of the center-right party Fine Gael.

She has drawn criticism for her views on the Hamas terror group, which she said in September was “part of the fabric of the Palestinian people.”

She later maintained that she “utterly condemned” Hamas’s actions and that its October 7, 2023, onslaught against Israel was “absolutely unacceptable.” But she also criticized Israel for carrying out what she said was a “genocide” in Gaza. Israel adamantly rejects the genocide accusation.

She has also accused Israel of acting like a “terrorist state.”

Connolly, 68, said Saturday evening at Dublin Castle that she would champion diversity and be a voice for peace and one that “builds on our policy of neutrality.”

“I would be an inclusive president for all of you, and I regard it as an absolute honor,” she said.

Humphreys conceded she had lost earlier Saturday, before vote counting had finished.

Connolly, a former barrister who has served as a lawmaker since 2016, has also warned against the European Union’s growing “militarization” following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ireland has a tradition of military neutrality, but Connolly’s critics have said she risks alienating the country’s allies.

Connolly will succeed Michael D. Higgins, who has been president since 2011, having served the maximum two seven-year terms. She will be Ireland’s 10th president and the third woman to hold the post.

The politician has garnered the backing of a range of left-leaning parties, including Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats.

Prime Minister Micheál Martin on Saturday congratulated Connolly on her “very comprehensive election victory.” He said he was looking forward to working with the new president as “Ireland continues to play a significant role on the global stage, and as we look forward to hosting the EU presidency in the second half of 2026.”