Sinn Féin has confirmed it will not contest the Irish presidential election and will instead support independent TD Catherine Connolly.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s Ard Chomhairle in Dublin, where leader Mary Lou McDonald argued that backing Connolly would prevent a split in the left-wing vote and strengthen the challenge to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Catherine Connolly, a Galway West TD, is already supported by Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit and the Green Party.
She welcomed Sinn Féin’s endorsement and said she wanted to be a president for all, and described the coalition of opposition parties as a “refreshing departure” in Irish politics.
McDonald has stated that the presidency would be used to advance debates on Irish unity, neutrality and human rights, and predicted that referendums on unity are likely during the next president’s term. She added that Sinn Féin would give Connolly organisational and financial support during the campaign.
Sinn Féin’s decision fits into a wider strategy of building alliances to break the dominance of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, both in government and in symbolic offices such as the presidency.
The move also reflects lessons from 2018, when Sinn Féin’s own candidate, Liadh Ní Riada, secured just 6.4 per cent of the vote and finished fourth, a result widely viewed as a setback that damaged the party’s image.
By backing Catherine Connolly this time, Sinn Féin aims to avoid repeating that failure and to demonstrate its capacity to work within a broader left-wing coalition.
The election on 24 October will see Connolly face Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael and Jim Gavin of Fianna Fáil. Polling suggests she is trailing the two main party candidates, but Sinn Féin’s decision could give her campaign the required momentum.
The move represents a political gamble for Sinn Féin. By not fielding its own candidate, the party risks reduced visibility in the contest but hopes that uniting around Connolly will present a stronger challenge to the traditional dominance of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Featured image via Irish Government.
