Leftwinger Catherine Connolly takes clear lead in Ireland's presidential race

"The leftwing independent Catherine Connolly is on track to win Ireland's presidential election, according to early vote tallies. Reports from tallymen unofficial but usually reliable observers at count centres gave Connolly a wide lead on Saturday soon after ballot boxes were opened at 9am. Opinion polls had predicted a landslide for Connolly, 68, who captured the imagination of many younger people and was backed by an alliance of leftwing opposition parties in Friday's election."

"Early tallies from Clare, Dublin, Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Meath and Wexford gave Connolly a clear lead, in some cases beating Humphreys by a ratio of two-to-one. The result looks incredibly positive for Connolly, said Labour leader Ivana Bacik. There were also indications of a low turnout and unusually high number of spoilt votes, reflecting widespread frustration at the choice on offer and lack of additional candidates on the ballot."

"The prospect of Connolly succeeding President Michael D Higgins and serving a seven-year term at Aras an Uachtarain, the presidential residence, thrills supporters. She speaks Irish, espouses equality and wishes to ringfence Irish neutrality from what she calls western militarism. She has likened Germany's arms spending to the Nazi era and accused the UK and US of enabling genocide in Gaza. The former clinical psychologist and barrister enthused young people through podcasts and posts that went viral on social"

Catherine Connolly held a wide early lead in Ireland's presidential vote, buoyed by opinion polls and strong youth support. Tally reports showed substantial margins in multiple counties, with some results around two-to-one against her main rival, Heather Humphreys. Humphreys carried association with the unpopular ruling coalition, while anger over a housing crisis and the cost of living fuelled support for change. Leftwing party unity and effective social media campaigning amplified Connolly's appeal. Turnout appeared low and spoilt votes were unusually high. Connolly speaks Irish, champions equality, defends Irish neutrality, and attracted attention with viral podcasts and posts.

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