Catherine Connolly, an independent member of the Irish parliament (TD), has been elected as the 10th President of the Republic of Ireland following a historic landslide victory. Connolly secured an unprecedented 914,143 first preference votes, accounting for 63% of the total votes cast, the highest in Irish presidential election history. Her triumph was officially announced on Saturday evening at Dublin Castle, where she defeated Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys. Outgoing President Michael D. Higgins congratulated Connolly, describing the day as “momentous” and pledging his office’s “full support” ahead of her inauguration on November 11. However, the election also saw a record 213,738 spoiled votes, nearly 13% of the total, prompting calls for reflection on voter dissatisfaction and the limited candidate choices. Humphreys garnered 29% of first preference votes, while Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin, who withdrew from the race but remained on the ballot, secured 7%. BBC NI’s Dublin correspondent, Gabija Gataveckaite, noted that the high number of spoiled ballots sends a clear message to the government about the electorate’s discontent. Tánaiste Simon Harris acknowledged the issue, emphasizing the need for “soul searching” after a 46% voter turnout. Connolly, a TD since 2016, was supported by major left-wing parties, including Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit, and the Greens. Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald expressed confidence that Connolly’s victory could pave the way for a left-wing coalition in the next general election. During her campaign, Connolly positioned herself as a proponent of a united Ireland, advocating for a border poll during her seven-year presidency. McDonald echoed this sentiment, expressing optimism that Connolly’s tenure would see significant progress toward this goal.