Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys conceded defeat after early counts showed Connolly was on track to be elected the country's next president.
Independent leftist Catherine Connolly secured a landslide victory in Ireland's presidential election, after her centre-right opponent, Heather Humphreys, conceded defeat on Saturday afternoon.
Humphreys congratulated Connolly on her victory: “Catherine will be President for all of us, and she will be my President, and I really want to wish her all the best.”
The vote count was underway on Saturday, with early results showing Connolly with a significant lead to succeed incumbent President Michael D. Higgins.
Most left-wing parties, including Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats, had expressed support for the left-wing candidate, who has been an independent MP since 2016.
Connolly, 68, has been a strong critic of the European Union and the United States, condemning the EU's plans to increase military spending. She has also been a vocal critic of Israel for its offensive in Gaza. The former lawyer gained wide support among young people after blaming government policies for the housing crisis.
Originally, three candidates were in the running to become the country's tenth president. However, Jim Gavin, the candidate for Prime Minister Micheál Martin's Fianna Fáil party, withdrew from the race due to a financial dispute dating back to 2009. Despite his withdrawal, Gavin's name remained on the ballot.
