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| Turnout | 45.8% ( 1.9pp)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 Result byDáil constituency | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The2025 Irish presidential election took place on Friday, 24 October 2025.[2] Polls opened at 7:00 and closed at 22:00. The election determined the tenthpresident of Ireland.[3] The incumbent president,Michael D. Higgins, wasterm-limited, having served the maximum two seven-year terms permitted under theConstitution of Ireland. The balloted candidates in the election wereCatherine Connolly,Jim Gavin andHeather Humphreys.[4] The1990 presidential election had been the last to feature only three candidates.
On 5 October, Gavin announced that he would not participate further in the election, after a controversy around an unpaid rent refund to a former tenant.[5] However, Gavin's name remained on the ballot, as a candidate may only formally withdraw before the ruling on nominations, which took place on 24 September.[6][7][8]
Opinion polls before the election predicted a significant lead for Connolly.[9] Counting of votes began on the morning of 25 October. Following the release of preliminary tallies indicating alandslide victory for Connolly, Humphreys conceded the election.[10] The final turnout was 45.8%. Of the valid votes cast, Connolly received 63.4%, Humphreys 29.5%, and Gavin 7.2%. The election was noted for its large volume ofspoiled votes, which reached 213,738 (12.9% of the total votes cast), numbers unprecedented in Irish electoral history.[11]
Connolly was deemed elected and willbe inaugurated as Ireland's tenth president on 11 November 2025. She will become the country's third female president, afterMary Robinson andMary McAleese.[12][13][14]
Presidential elections are conducted in line with Article 12 of theConstitution[15] and under the Presidential Elections Act 1993.[16] Thepresident is elected throughinstant-runoff voting (described in the constitution asproportional representation by means of thesingle transferable vote).[17] AllIrish citizens entered on the currentelectoral register are eligible to vote.[15] The 2025 election will be the first presidential election since the 2023 establishment of theElectoral Commission.
The Constitution requires the election to be not more than 60 days before the end of the term of the incumbent president, which for Michael D. Higgins is 11 November. On 3 September,James Browne, theMinister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, signed aministerial order fixing the date of the election as 24 October 2025.[18] The nomination period began at 10 a.m. on 5 September and concluded at 12 p.m. on 24 September 2025.[18] The ruling on nominations took place at 3 p.m. on 24 September 2025.[19] This was the last date upon which a candidate could withdraw from the election.[20][21] The final day for voter registration was 7 October 2025.[18]
To stand for election aspresident of Ireland, candidates must:
If a County or City council or a member of the Oireachtas nominate more than one candidate, only the first nomination paper received from them is deemed to be valid.[16] Under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2011, there is a spending limit by each candidate of €750,000.[22] Candidates who are elected or who reach 12.5% of the vote on their elimination are entitled to a reimbursement of expenses up to €200,000.[23]
The following candidates received sufficient nominations to stand as candidates. All three were nominated by Oireachtas members, rather than by councils.[24]
| Party | Presidential candidate | Campaign | Nominated by | Sources | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | _(cropped).jpg) | Catherine Connolly
|  (campaign) www | 79 Oireachtas members:
| [26][27][28][29][30] [31][32][33] [33][34][35] | |||
| Fine Gael | .jpg) | Heather Humphreys
|  (campaign) www | Fine Gael (55 Oireachtas members) | [36][37][38] | |||
| Fianna Fáil | .jpg) | Jim Gavin
|  (campaign) jimgavinforpresident | Fianna Fáil (67 Oireachtas members) | [39][40][41][42] | |||
Following thegeneral election in November 2024, as well asthe subsequent Seanad election, only three political parties had the 20 members of the Oireachtas required to nominate a candidate:Fianna Fáil (48 TDs and 19 senators),Fine Gael (38 TDs and 17 senators) andSinn Féin (39 TDs and 6 senators).Labour, the next largest party in the Oireachtas, had 11 TDs and 2 senators. For other candidates to be nominated by Oireachtas members, support would have been required from members of smaller parties, independents (of which there were then 15 TDs and 13 senators) or excess members of the three larger parties.
WhenMet Éireann proposed storm names for the2025–26 European windstorm season, it excluded names of those being discussed as potential candidates.[43]
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Except forMary Robinson, every President of Ireland from 1938 to 2011 had been elected with the support of Fianna Fáil. Following thefinancial crisis and a heavy defeat at the2011 general election, the party opted not to contest the 2011 presidential election in order to focus on rebuilding.[44] In 2018, Fianna Fáil endorsed incumbent presidentMichael D. Higgins for re-election.[45]
Despite becoming the largest party inDáil Éireann at the2024 general election, Fianna Fáil lacked an obvious front-runner for the presidency in 2025, and in late JuneThe Irish Times reported that there was no one longlisted for the party's nomination.[46] In early July,Micheál Martin,Taoiseach and party leader, said that the party would only run a candidate who "would command a very broad consensus or would have a realistic opportunity of getting a significant vote".[47] He expressed a preference for an individual who would transcend party politics and "represent the country well abroad and lead with some sort of moral authority."[48] Party strategists believed Fianna Fáil's chances of victory would be better served by waiting until September to announce a candidate. Nevertheless, over the Dáil summer recess, speculation over the identity of Fianna Fáil's candidate was heated, owing to what theIrish Independent called a "presidency-shaped vacuum" of information, and pressure from a group of TDs for the party to run a political figure from its own ranks.[49]
Former TaoiseachBertie Ahern had been the subject of presidential speculation for several years. After resigning from Fianna Fáil in the wake of theMahon Tribunal findings in 2012, he rejoined the party in 2023, a move which was seen by political commentators as a possible precursor to a presidential bid.[50] When asked byVirgin Media News in August, a majority of the party's TDs said they supported nominating him for the presidency. The political reporterGavan Reilly toldNewstalk that Ahern was likely to appeal to an older segment of voters but carried considerable baggage from the economic crisis and the Mahon Tribunal.[51] Though he never formally declared his candidacy, Ahern continued to express an interest in standing throughout July and August.[52]
Mary Hanafin, a former minister and party deputy leader, declared that she wished to stand for the presidency, but said that it was up to Micheál Martin to decide how the party would proceed.[53][54][55] At an event at the MacGill Summer School in July, she said it would be an "insult to the office of president" if the party did not contest the election.[56] Other Fianna Fáil figures who were the subject of speculation included Micheál Martin himself,[57] MEPsBarry Andrews andCynthia Ní Mhurchú,[58][59] and former ministers and junior ministersPat "the Cope" Gallagher,[60][61]Máire Geoghegan-Quinn,[62]Éamon Ó Cuív[63] andPeter Power.[64]
Outside of the party, there was speculation about wide range of figures from the law, academia, sport and elsewhere. These includedPackie Bonner,[65]Geraldine Byrne Nason,[66]Colum Eastwood,[67][68]Deirdre Heenan,[69]Daniel Mulhall,[70]Pádraig Ó Céidigh,[71]Síofra O'Leary,[72]Louise Richardson[73] andNiall Quinn.[74][75]
On 25 August, theIrish Independent reported that senior figures in Fianna Fáil had privately approachedJim Gavin, the former manager of theDublin men's Gaelic football team andCOO of theIrish Aviation Authority, to be the party's presidential candidate. Gavin, one of the most decorated managers in the history of Gaelic football, had served as an officer in theIrish Defence Forces on peacekeeping duty and chaired theCitizens' Assembly on a potential mayor of Dublin in 2022. He did not respond to a request for comment.[76]
On the morning of 29 August,Billy Kelleher,MEP forSouth and formerTD, announced in an email to the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party that he would stand for the presidency. He emphasised his three decades of experience in politics and said that a number of his colleagues had asked him to stand.[77]The Irish Times reported that Kelleher's candidacy would pose a challenge to others, as he enjoyed popularity at all levels of Fianna Fáil.[78] Later that day, Fianna Fáil deputy leaderJack Chambers confirmed that Jim Gavin would also be a candidate, and both Chambers and ministerJames Lawless endorsed him.[77] The following day, Micheál Martin also endorsed Gavin. He expressed surprise at Kelleher's decision to stand, and disputed the claim that Kelleher enjoyed the support of thirty members of the parliamentary party.[79] Gavin formally announced his candidacy the same day, writing in a letter to the parliamentary party: "I believe that, in these turbulent times, Ireland needs a president who can bring people together and promote and represent our shared values and interests at home and abroad."[80]
.jpg)
In theIrish Examiner, journalistMick Clifford compared Micheál Martin's support for Gavin over Bertie Ahern to the selection ofMary McAleese as Fianna Fáil presidential candidate overAlbert Reynolds in the1997 election, while Ahern was party leader.[81] Five days after Martin's announcement, Ahern confirmed that he would not be a candidate, claiming that he could not stand without the support of the Fianna Fáil leadership, and that Martin was "anti-me" due to "the economy and the Mahon Tribunal".[82] In a 35-minute voice message to supporters, he claimed that Martin "threw the rest of us [candidates] out" in favour of Jim Gavin. He also said that false claims had been made about his economic legacy, and that these had been "intensified" by a younger generation. This was seen by theIrish Independent as a reference to the musicianCMAT, who had recently releaseda song attacking Ahern.[83] Mary Hanafin also ruled herself out of the election following Martin's endorsement of Gavin, and criticised the leadership's lack of communication with her.[84] The musician and humanitarianBob Geldof briefly expressed an interest in being Fianna Fáil's candidate, but Martin said that he was committed to Gavin and would not be altering his support.[85]
Nominations for the contest closed on 5 September, with Kelleher and Gavin as the only candidates. Gavin had significantly more public endorsements than Kelleher, who was not supported by a single cabinet minister. Kelleher criticised the decision of senior Fianna Fáil figures to endorse "early on", and disagreed with the claim that he was running to damage Micheál Martin's leadership.[86][87] Through early September, there was intense lobbying of the parliamentary party by both campaigns. Kelleher supporterPádraig O'Sullivan said that he believed the MEP had a route to win the nomination, despite Gavin's front-runner status.[88]
On 9 September atLeinster House, a meeting was held of the party's TDs, senators and MEPs to select the candidate. Following ten-minute speeches by Gavin and Kelleher, there was a secret ballot, which Gavin won by 41 votes to 29.[d][86][40][41] Kelleher endorsed Gavin following the result.[90][40] After being nominated, Gavin, who had not previously expressed political views, said that he was a "centrist and a constitutionalRepublican", that he had supportedsame-sex marriage andthe repeal of the Eighth Amendment, and that he favoured removal of theTriple Lock.[40] Media outlets suggested that Kelleher's unexpectedly strong showing might be a blow to Micheál Martin's leadership, but Martin disputed this, saying that a referendum on his leadership had already taken place at the last general election.[91]RTÉ News suggested that Gavin's strongest characteristics were his "near untouchable" status in the GAA, his work ethic and his leadership skills, but that a reputation for seriousness and restraint, as well as a lack of appeal in rural Ireland, might hurt his campaign.[92]
On 5 October 2025, Gavin announced that he was withdrawing from the election; this followed a presidential debate on RTÉ in which he was questioned on his failure to repay €3,300 owed by him for several years to a former tenant[42] (later revealed to be Niall Donald, now deputy editor of theSunday World). His name will remain on the ballot, as a candidate may only withdraw before the ruling on nominations, which took place on 24 September.[20]
Prior to 2025, Fine Gael had nominated a candidate in every contested presidential election except2018, but had never won the office.[93] Its most recent candidate,Gay Mitchell, finished fourth in the2011 election with 6.4% of the first-preference vote, the party's worst ever presidential showing.[94]
In March,Simon Harris,Tánaiste and party leader, confirmed that Fine Gael would nominate a candidate in 2025, to be chosen through a selection convention.[95] Candidates required the nomination of 20 members of the parliamentary party (comprising TDs, Senators and MEPs), 25 county or city councillors, and five members of the party's executive council. Nominations for selection as the party candidate opened on 7 July.
A number of high-profile Fine Gael politicians declined to stand for the presidential nomination, including formerTaoisighEnda Kenny andLeo Varadkar,[96][97] former TánaisteFrances Fitzgerald,[98][99][100] the party's former deputy leaderHeather Humphreys,[101] and veteran MEP and formerGAA presidentSeán Kelly.[102]
The nomination period closed on 15 July.Mairead McGuinness, formerEuropean commissioner andFirst Vice-President of the European Parliament, was the only candidate nominated. McGuinness, who worked as a journalist and broadcaster forRTÉ before entering politics, had been an unsuccessful candidate for theFine Gael presidential nomination in 2011.[103][104] However, she dropped out of the election on 14 August following medical advice, saying in a statement: "I do not believe that I have the strength to give the campaign my all."[105] McGuinness' withdrawal was widely regarded as a shock, as she had been considered favourite to win the election.[106][107]
Following the withdrawal of McGuinness, Fine Gael reopened the nomination process on 18 August 2025. Heather Humphreys and Seán Kelly confirmed that they would seek the nomination. Humphreys said in an interview withNorthern Sound that she had felt burnt out when she decided to step down at the2024 general election, but now had "never felt as ready for a challenge", and wished to represent "a modern and an outward looking Ireland with pride on the international stage". Kelly toldMorning Ireland that he was "delighted and enthusiastic" to be running, having very reluctantly decided not to stand against Mairead McGuinness.[37][108]
Kelly was unable to secure enough support from the Fine Gael parliamentary party to contest the selection convention and withdrew on 1 September.[109] The following day, the party confirmed Heather Humphreys as its candidate.The Irish Times reported that Humphreys' campaign was likely to focus on her ministerial experience as well as her links to rural Ireland and theBorder Region, but that her opponents would seek to draw attention to government failures in health and housing as well as controversies during her time in the arts and justice portfolios.[38]
The outgoing president,Michael D. Higgins, had originally been nominated for the presidency by theLabour Party in the2011 election. Because Labour and all other left-wing parties besidesSinn Féin did not have enough Oireachtas members to nominate a candidate on their own in 2025, there were proposals for a joint candidate who would continue Higgins' legacy. Labour leaderIvana Bacik wrote to the leaders of theSocial Democrats and theGreen Party in February proposing a united front, saying: "If we want to see the election of a new president who shares the values articulated so ably on behalf of the nation by Michael D Higgins, then I believe that we should now explore the possibility, along with other parties that share our vision and values, of taking a combined approach to selecting an appropriate candidate for the office." The Social Democrats and Greens expressed openness to the idea.[110]
In March,Frances Black, singer and independentsenator, who had been a leading advocate of theOccupied Territories Bill, said that she had been "asked by a couple of the parties" and was open to discussing the possibility of a presidential bid.[111] In an appearance onThe Late Late Show later that month, she said that no decision had been made.[112] Other individuals who were the subject of speculation wereIvana Bacik,[113] Noeline Blackwell (former CEO of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre),[114]Holly Cairns,[66][115]Fergus Finlay,[116]Claire Hanna,[110]Aodhán Ó Ríordáin,[117]Fintan O'Toole,[118]Eamon Ryan,[119][120] andRóisín Shortall.[121]
By the beginning of June, the focus had narrowed to Frances Black and independentGalway West TDCatherine Connolly.TheJournal.ie reported that there was "good enthusiasm" in most parties for Connolly, a formerLeas-Cheann Comhairle, who was seen as a "credible candidate who could hold her own in debates", but that some in the Labour Party were opposed to her and to the idea of a joint ticket involving Sinn Féin.Mike Ryan andJoe Duffy had been proposed as alternative candidates.[114] In late June, Black confirmed that she would not stand for the presidency, because she wished to focus on the Occupied Territories Bill and to avoid the potential "bloodbath" of a presidential campaign.[122] Speaking toThe Irish Times,People Before Profit TDPaul Murphy said his party were "very enthusiastic" about the prospect of a united left candidate in the mould of President Higgins, but that the viability of a bid depended on whether Sinn Féin were involved, and expressed hope that they would make a decision soon.[123]
On 11 July, Catherine Connolly confirmed she was running for president and that she would launch her campaign the following week.[124] Later that day, the Social Democrats released a statement declaring their support for Connolly;Jennifer Whitmore said she was the overwhelming choice of party members.[125] People Before Profit,100% Redress and a number of independents also supported Connolly.[29][31] After launching her campaign onRaidió na Gaeltachta on 16 July, Connolly told reporters at Leinster House that she had the twenty signatures required to be formally nominated. She said she had entered the race reluctantly: "I was questioning myself. 'Who am I?' 'Would I be able to do this job?', and other questions like that." She intended to centre her campaign on climate change, housing and the pursuit of peace.[27]
At the end of July, following consultation with its membership, the Labour Party decided to support Connolly as "the left candidate for the presidency". Connolly had been a Labour councillor in Galway, but resigned from the party in 2006 over a selection dispute with then-TD Michael D. Higgins and had been highly critical of the party in subsequent years.[32] Several weeks later,Alan Kelly, a former minister and Labour leader, said that although Connolly had received Labour's backing, he would not nominate or vote for her. He toldTipp FM: "I think the party has to have some self-respect. Catherine Connolly has shown disdain for us since 2006." He also criticised Connolly's stances on theSyrian civil war and theRusso-Ukrainian War, and her decision to nominateGemma O'Doherty for the presidency in 2018.[25]
Sinn Féin's possible involvement in a broad left ticket led by Connolly was the subject of considerable speculation, as the party had enough Oireachtas members to nominate a candidate in its own right. In July, party presidentMary Lou McDonald said "all options are on the table", including support for Connolly, and that a process was underway which would conclude in a few weeks.[30]Gerry Adams,Rose Conway-Walsh,Pearse Doherty,John Finucane andMichelle O'Neill were considered possible Sinn Féin candidates, as wasGAA presidentJarlath Burns, who was not a member of the party.[126][127][128][129][130][131][132]
There was particularly intense speculation regarding the possibility of McDonald herself running. Having ruled out a bid in March, she stated in July that it was possible that she would be a candidate.[133][134][135][136] In August, McDonald toldThe Irish Times that she had "obviously been thinking about things on a personal level but more importantly I’ve been leading and involved in, and listening to the party conversation".[137] ASunday Independent poll in early September showed McDonald polling considerably better than any other prospective Sinn Féin candidate, and marginally ahead of Catherine Connolly in a four-way race.[138] On 8 September, McDonald finally ruled herself out of the running. Speaking onMorning Ireland, she said that she needed to "lead from the front" while in opposition. She reiterated that the party had not decided on its approach to the election and would be meeting Catherine Connolly's team in the coming days.[139][140] The following week, at theNational Ploughing Championships, McDonald told reporters that Sinn Féin had decided on a candidate who spoke "a lot of Irish" – a reference to the lack of fluency of the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael nominees – and that the announcement would be a "game changer".[141][142]
Two days later, following a meeting of the party'sArd Comhairle, Sinn Féin announced its support for Catherine Connolly. The party said she would "champion aunited Ireland, stand up for Ireland's place in the world as a defender of neutrality and human rights, and speak out for fairness and economic justice" and that they would offer financial backing to her campaign.[143][144] They also expressed a desire to offer a united opposition to the government parties and said that Connolly represented the same values as President Higgins.[34] The previous month, Connolly had visited Belfast and expressed support for a united Ireland, moves widely seen as crucial in winning the support of Sinn Féin.[144] Connolly also received the support ofSolidarity and the Green Party in September.[33][145]
Connolly's official campaign launch in Dublin on 22 September featured speeches from Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit, the Green Party and the independent senatorEileen Flynn.[146]The Irish Times suggested that Connolly's success in uniting the left would probably make her front-runner to win the election and was potentially a precursor to a left-wing coalition at the next general election, but that Sinn Féin's decision to nominate her looked like a "Plan C".[147]
A number of independent political and civil society figures were considered possible candidates for the presidency, includingTom Clonan,Joe Duffy,Luke 'Ming' Flanagan,Seán Gallagher,Declan Ganley,Sharon Keogan,Aubrey McCarthy,Michael McDowell,Olivia O'Leary andMick Wallace.[148][149][150][31][151][152][153][154]Peter Casey, runner-up in the2018 election, was the first independent to announce his candidacy when he declared in March, but he did not win a nomination.[155][156][157]
Conor McGregor, amixed martial artist, began discussing the possiblity of running for the presidency in 2023.[158][159] As to why he would stand, McGregor said: "Among many other things, the allocation of our nation's funds has been nothing short of criminal, and without an iota of consideration for the public's thinking."[158] A poll that month found that eight per cent of people would vote for McGregor if he ran for public office, while 89 per cent said they would not.[160] In 2025, McGregor visited theWhite House at the invitation ofU.S. PresidentDonald Trump for a Saint Patrick's Day event. Announcing his intention to stand as an independent, he claimed that Ireland was "on the cusp of losing its Irishness" due to an "illegal immigration racket", comments which were widely condemned in Ireland.[161][162]
Although McGregor's candidacy made international headlines, domestic news sources noted it was extremely unlikely that McGregor would gain access to the ballot; surveys byThe Irish Times and Sky News indicated he did not have support among either councillors or Oireachtas members to be nominated.[163][164] In late August,The Irish Times reported that McGregor had not made any effort to contact a county council about securing a nomination and suggested that McGregor was merely "cosplaying" as a presidential candidate online.[165] McGregor then contacted a number of councils.[166][167][168][169][170] Two weeks later, on the day he was to meet councils inDublin city andKildare, McGregor announced that he was no longer seeking a nomination for the presidency, stating that he believed the eligibility rules in Ireland's "outdated Constitution" were a "straitjacket" that prevented a "true democratic presidential election being contested".[171][172][173]
FormerRiverdance performerMichael Flatley announced in July that he would seek to gain the required nominations to enter the race.[174] He withdrew from the election six weeks later, citing health and family concerns.[175] In August, formerChief Medical OfficerTony Holohan openly considered running and enjoyed favourable polling, but ultimately decided against due to fears of "personal abuse".[176] In early September, meteorologist and former RTÉ weather presenterJoanna Donnelly announced she had contacted every local authority to obtain council nominations. However, within three days, she withdrew her candidacy following interviews with the media and conversations with politicians, saying that she was not prepared for a campaign.[177][178][175][179]
A candidate may be nominated by at least four county councils (including city councils and city and county councils). No council may nominate more than one person. A simple majority of voting councillors is sufficient to support a nomination. Most councils imposed no pre-conditions on prospective candidates who ask for a nomination; however, Fingal County Council required prospective candidates to be proposed by four councillors, and Offaly County Council by two councillors, to be granted an audience and be considered for a presidential nomination.[180][181]
Though independent candidates had generally struggled to gain access to the ballot through the Oireachtas in the past, the council nomination route was more fruitful at the1997,2011 and2018 elections, due to the less partisan nature of local politics.[182] In 2025, however,Fine Gael, the second-largest party in local government, instructed its councillors to oppose any nomination at council level, thoughFianna Fáil andSinn Féin permitted a free vote.[183][184][185]
In August, businessmanGareth Sheridan, the founder of Nutriband, confirmed previous reporting that he would be seeking to gain nominations. Sheridan, who was originally from County Tipperary but had spent much of his adult life in the United States, intended to run on a platform emphasising housing. He also drew attention to his relative youth, at 35 years old.[186]The Irish Examiner reported that Sheridan was being introduced to councillors by SenatorSharon Keogan, though he distanced himself from her right-wing views.[187] Sheridan was the most successful candidate at council level, winning the support ofKerry andTipperary county councils, but failure by one vote inMeath and an unexpected defeat inOffaly on 22 September, the final day of hearings, effectively ended his chances of reaching the ballot. He ended his campaign later that day, saying: "We gave it our best shot. We got two nominations, really encouraging. We had a pathway, and unfortunately, the pathway and the plan didn't work out."[188][189]Kieran McCarthy, a formerLord Mayor of Cork, also won a council nomination fromWaterford City and County Council.[190]
Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford were the only councils to nominate a candidate. This made 2025 the first contested presidential election since1990 in which no candidate reached the presidential ballot through the council route.
Aontú first expressed an interest in nominating a candidate in April.[191] In July, party leaderPeadar Tóibín said they would seek to create a "selection block" or a "nominating caucus" with other small parties and independents who would pick a candidate to represent them.The Irish Times suggested that Aontú, with three Oireachtas members, andIndependent Ireland, with four, would represent the core of a potential nominating bloc.[157][192] Tóibín ruled out standing himself.[191]
On 11 September, the caucus took place, with four prospective candidates meeting a group of eleven Oireachtas members, including all three from Aontú. Media outlets reported thatMaria Steen, a conservative activist and barrister known for her opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage, was one of the candidates attending, but it was not clear who the other three were.[193][194] Steen had been seeking nominations through the council route, but had not yet received a nomination.[195] Steen won the vote, and announced to reporters atLeinster House that she now had the support of ten Oireachtas members, halfway to the twenty required.[196] However, the four Independent Ireland members said they would only sign her papers once she reached sixteen nominations.[195]
Over the days that followed, further Oireachtas members came forward to nominate Steen. These included two independentjunior ministers,Michael Healy-Rae andMarian Harkin, who had said they would vote for Heather Humphreys at the election, but supported Steen's right to be on the ballot.[197][198] On 23 September, the day before the deadline for nominations, Independent Ireland reversed its stance and nominated Steen, leaving her three names short with hours to spare.[198]Aubrey McCarthy nominated Steen on the morning of 24 September but the noon deadline passed with Steen two nominations short of the twenty required.[199][200][201][202][203][204][e]
After the close of nominations, Steen spoke to journalists outside Leinster House, saying: "Rarely has the political consensus seemed more oppressive or detached from the wishes and desires of the public." Independent Ireland leaderMichael Collins described the nomination process as "an affront to democracy".[206]Gerard Craughwell said he was put off nominating Steen by abuse from her supporters on social media.[207] Much media attention in the aftermath of the process focused on Steen's failure to win a nomination from SenatorMichael McDowell, who had campaigned alongside her against the2024 family and care amendments. McDowell told theIrish Independent that he did not want her to be president, saying: "I would never propose a person whose candidacy I was going to oppose."[208]
Campaigning began once candidates announced their bids, with Catherine Connolly declaring her candidacy on 11 July 2025.[28] Her early announcement made her, for a time, the sole serious contender in the race and led to close media scrutiny of her record and political career. Alongside debate over her record on domestic issues, Connolly faced controversy regarding a 2018 visit toSyria withClare Daly,Mick Wallace, andMaureen O'Sullivan. When launching her 2025 campaign, she defended the trip and noted she had not "uttered one word of support forAssad", thoughPolitico noted she had not criticised Assad during the visit and had later called for the lifting of sanctions on his regime.[104] She also drew criticism for a comment on German military spending.[209] Her campaign, centred on housing, social equality, environmental issues, and Irish unity, was framed around grassroots engagement and independence from establishment politics, but later came under further pressure over her past hiring of a woman with a firearms conviction, which she defended as consistent withrehabilitation and inclusion.[210][211] She cast herself as a left-wing opposition candidate.[209]
Heather Humphreys launched her Fine Gael–backed campaign on 19 August 2025, emphasising community, unity, and stability, while positioning herself as an experienced and conciliatory figure suited to the presidency.[212] During the campaign, she faced questions regarding her husband's past membership of theOrange Order, as well as scrutiny of her own childhood attendance at Orange parades, though she emphasised that she had stopped attending whenthe Troubles began.[213] Her background as an Ulster Presbyterian Irish republican was also discussed favourably in the context of building common feeling in the North.[214][215][216][217] There was "disgruntlement" about her promise to meaningfully improve her Irish if elected president, given she had yet to fulfil the same promise when made as minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht.[218][219] She supports removing theTriple Lock. Perceived as an "establishment candidate", Humphreys described her time in Government as being prepared to take tough decisions and summed herself up as centre-ground, pro-business and pro-European.[209][219]
Jim Gavin followed on 30 August as Fianna Fáil's nominee, running on themes of service and civic duty drawn from his sporting reputation and military background. Before his campaign was derailed by controversy over an alleged rent overpayment from a former tenant,[220] Gavin's team had also been criticised for a series of social media missteps, including posts that were perceived as awkward or poorly judged.[221][222][223] His withdrawal on 5 October turned the contest into ade facto two-way race between Connolly and Humphreys, although legally his name must remain on the ballot.[224][225] Following Gavin's withdrawal, reporting suggested there was "chaos" within the Fianna Fáil party, with many questioning the leadership and decision-making of leader Micheál Martin over his backing of Gavin as their candidate.[226][227]
Major social media platforms themselves drew criticism for their lack of transparency and reliability with regard to political advertising. Several deleted or restricted access to advertising archives, and after Jim Gavin withdrew from the campaign, his campaign videos were deleted andMeta's ad library claimed the account had run no election ads in the previous week, contradicting what it had shown the day before.[228][229][230]Deepfake videos were also circulated online.[231][232]
On 17 October, Spoil Your Vote was launched as a campaign urging those unhappy with the choice of candidates tospoil their vote.[233] Backers have included entrepreneurDeclan Ganley, economistEddie Hobbs and unsuccessful presidential candidate Nick Delahanty.[233][234]Independent Ireland, which had supported Maria Steen's nomination, opposed the campaign.[235] An opinion poll on 16 October indicated that 6% of voters intended to spoil their vote, compared to between 1% and 1.25% votes spoiled in the two previous presidential elections.[233] In Ireland, spoiled votes are counted but have no other impact on the electoral contest.[236]
In June 2025,RTÉ announced that it planned to host a number of programmes in the lead up to the election;Katie Hannon will presentThe Katie Hannon Big Interview Live which will feature each of the presidential candidates in in-depth programmes on RTÉ One.[237][238] Virgin Media One also planned to hold a series of interviews with each candidate on 6 October 13 and 20 October respectively for Gavin, Connolly and Humphreys, however Gavin suspended his campaign ahead of the scheduled interview on 6 October.[239]
Television debates have been confirmed for the 29 September onVirgin Media One and the 5 and 21 October onRTÉ One.[240][241][242] The first debate was described as "low-energy" and rather unsurprising.[243][244] If there was a winner it was described to be Connolly "by a whisker".[245][246][247] Radio debates have been confirmed byRTÉ Radio 1 for theDrivetime,This Week, andMorning Ireland programmes, to take place between 7 and 19 October.
Unlike in 2011, when a bilingual debate was held "which generated pride regardless of political preference",TG4 decided not to hold a presidential debate. This absence was noted as something to be lamented.[248] Connolly also expressed disappointment that no debate would be held in Irish.[249][250] Though formerly the minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, when asked about it during the second televised debate on 5 October, Humphreys said that she would feel at a disadvantage in an Irish language debate.[251][218]
| 2025 Irish presidential election debates | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Broadcaster | Moderator | Programme | Participants | ||
| P Participant A Absent invitee W Withdrawn | Connolly | Humphreys | Gavin | |||
| 29 September | Virgin Media One | Kieran Cuddihy[252] | The Tonight Show | P | P | P |
| 5 October | RTÉ One | Áine Lawlor | The Week in Politics | P | P | P |
| 9 October[253] | RTÉ Radio 1 | Sarah McInerney and Cormac Ó hEadhra | Drivetime | P | P | W |
| 12 October | RTÉ Radio 1 | David McCullagh | This Week | P | P | W |
| 14 October | Newstalk | Pat Kenny | The Pat Kenny Show | P | P | W |
| 17 October | RTÉ Radio 1 | Audrey Carville and Gavin Jennings | Morning Ireland | P | P | W |
| 21 October | RTÉ One | Miriam O'Callaghan andSarah McInerney | Prime Time | P | P | W |
The first televised presidential debate of the campaign was held on Virgin Media One on 29 September. Much of the discussion focused on issues outside the president's direct powers, including the Gaza war, immigration, neutrality, housing, and Irish unification. Connolly criticised government policy and warned against the "military-industrial complex".[247] Humphreys emphasised steadiness and inclusivity, while Gavin accused Israel of committing war crimes, called for "balanced debate" on immigration, and focused on cross-community engagement. During the debate, Connolly's previous remarks comparingGermany's current military rearmament toGerman rearmament in the 1930s were examined by both the moderator and her fellow candidates, prompting her to clarify that she intended to critique the use of defence spending as a means of stimulating economic growth rather than to equate contemporary Germany with historical fascism.[254] In response to incidents ofOperation Raise the Colours occurring in Ireland, all three candidates rejected the use of theIrish tricolour as a divisive symbol. Humphreys and Gavin framed the flag as a symbol of unity and inclusion, with Gavin emphasising his Defence Forces background. Connolly said anti-immigration flag protests reflected only a small vocal minority, calling their divisive rhetoric "abhorrent".[255] On housing, Gavin stated the situation was unacceptable but argued the president cannot build houses, though he would highlight the issue. Connolly blamedneoliberal ideology and called for a policy reset. Humphreys urged openness to solutions such as 3D-printed homes. All three backed the goal of Irish unity. Humphreys, calling herself a "proud Ulsterwoman", emphasised compromise and friendship. Gavin cited his regular work in Northern Ireland and stressed building cross-community ties. Connolly said she hoped unity could be achieved within her presidency and highlighted her engagement with both communities.[256]
On 5 October, the three presidential candidates participated in the second televised debate of the campaign on RTÉ'sThe Week in Politics. The discussion opened in the context of a poll showing Catherine Connolly leading, followed by Heather Humphreys and Jim Gavin. The main debate topic was Irish unity, with Gavin questioning whether the time was right for a referendum, Connolly calling for one during her term if elected, and Humphreys emphasising reconciliation between communities in Northern Ireland. The candidates also addressed controversies: Gavin over an alleged unpaid rent dispute, Connolly over employing a formerÉirígí member convicted of firearms offences, and Humphreys over claims she opposed drink-driving reforms at Cabinet. Gavin also addressed the cultural issues in the defence forces raised in the documentaryWomen of Honour, rejecting suggestions that he or senior officers ignored misconduct, while welcoming the forthcoming tribunal into harassment and bullying allegations.[257][258] Later on 5 October, Gavin announced that he was withdrawing from the election;[42] however, his name will remain on the ballot, as a candidate may only withdraw before the ruling on nominations, which took place on 24 September.[20]
| Last date of polling | Commissioner | Polling firm | Sample size | Sources | Connolly | Humphreys | Gavin | Don't know | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 October 2025 | Irish Independent | Ireland Thnks | ? | [259] | 40% | 25% | 7% | 28% | |
| 21 October 2025 | Business Post | Red C | 1,012 | [260] | 44% | 25% | 10% | 21% | — |
| 14 October 2025 | Irish Times | Ipsos B&A | 1,200 | [261] | 38% | 20% | 5% | 18% | NV: 12% SV: 6% |
| 7 October 2025 | Business Post | Red C | 1,001 | [262] | 36% | 25% | 12%[f] | 27% | — |
| 5 October 2025 | Jim Gavin suspends campaign | ||||||||
| 3 October 2025 | Sunday Independent | Ireland Thinks | ~1,430 | [263] | 32% | 23% | 15% | 30% | — |
| Last date of polling | Commissioner | Polling firm | Sample size | Sources | Connolly | Humphreys | Gavin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 October 2025 | Irish Independent | Ireland Thinks | [264] | 55.6% | 34.7% | 9.7% | |
| 21 October 2025 | Business Post | Red C | 1,012 | [260] | 61% | 39% | Eliminated |
| 55.7% | 31.6% | 12.7% | |||||
| 14 October 2025 | Irish Times | Ipsos B&A | 1,200 | [261] | 63% | 35% | Eliminated |
| 60% | 32% | 8% | |||||
| 7 October 2025 | Business Post | Red C | 1,001 | [262] | 55.7% | 44.3% | Eliminated |
| 49.3% | 34.2% | 16.5%[f] | |||||
| 5 October 2025 | Jim Gavin suspends campaign | ||||||
| 3 October 2025 | Sunday Independent | Ireland Thinks | ~1,430 | [263] | 53% | 47% | Eliminated |
| 45.7% | 32.9% | 21.4% | |||||
| Last date of polling | Commissioner | Polling firm | Ahern | Gavin | McDonald | Humphreys | Connolly | McGuinness | Other | Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2025 | Nomination period closes | |||||||||
| 9 September 2025 | Business Post | Red C[265] | — | 18% | 21%[g] | 22% | 17% | — | 17%[h] | 36% |
| 8 September 2025 | Mary Lou McDonald rules herself out | |||||||||
| 5 September 2025 | Sunday Independent | Ireland Thinks[i][266] | — | 17% | 15% | 20% | 13% | — | 18%[j] | 19% |
| 5 September 2025 | Sunday Independent | Ireland Thinks[267][266] | — | 18% | 17% | 19% | 14% | — | — | 31% |
| 5 September 2025 | Sunday Independent | Ireland Thinks[267][266] | — | 20% | — | 21% | 20% | — | — | 39% |
| 4 September 2025 | Bertie Ahern rules himself out | |||||||||
| 16 August 2025 | Sunday Independent | Ireland Thinks[268] | 14% | — | 14% | 19% | 18% | — | 8% | 28% |
| 14 August 2025 | Mairead McGuinness withdraws | |||||||||
| 31 July 2025 | Tony Holohan | Amárach Research[269] | 15% | — | 20% | — | 22% | 29% | 15% | — |
| 17 July 2025 | Irish Daily Mail | Amárach Research[270] | — | — | 45% | — | — | 55% | — | — |
| 2025 Irish presidential election[271] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Nominated by | % 1st Pref | Count 1 | ||
| Catherine Connolly | Oireachtas: 7 parties andindependents[k] | 63.36% | 914,143 | ||
| Heather Humphreys | Oireachtas:Fine Gael | 29.46% | 424,987 | ||
| Jim Gavin(Withdrawn) | Oireachtas:Fianna Fáil | 7.18% | 103,568 | ||
| Electorate: 3,614,450 Valid: 1,442,698 Spoilt: 213,738 (12.9%) Quota: 721,350 Turnout: 1,656,436 (45.8%) | |||||
| Constituency | Connolly | Humphreys | Gavin | Spoiled ballots | Turnout | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| Carlow–Kilkenny | 29,697 | 60.99% | 14,357 | 31.61% | 3,362 | 7.40% | 6,493 | 12.51% | 44.47% |
| Cavan–Monaghan | 20,723 | 38.33% | 31,075 | 58.75% | 1,546 | 2.92% | 6,423 | 10.83% | 55.41% |
| Clare | 24,372 | 65.18% | 10,726 | 26.71% | 5,047 | 12.57% | 4,766 | 11.87% | 47.80% |
| Cork East | 20,123 | 65.18% | 8,717 | 28.24% | 2,031 | 6.58% | 4,672 | 13.14% | 43.08% |
| Cork North-Central | 25,402 | 67.79% | 9,678 | 25.83% | 2,391 | 6.38% | 6,215 | 14.23% | 42.80% |
| Cork North-West | 15,610 | 56.52% | 9,565 | 34.63% | 2,445 | 8.85% | 3,977 | 12.59% | 47.30% |
| Cork South-Central | 27,750 | 64.68% | 12,111 | 28.23% | 3,044 | 7.09% | 4,935 | 10.32% | 46.30% |
| Cork South-West | 18,350 | 59.64% | 10,120 | 32.89% | 2,296 | 7.46% | 3,562 | 10.38% | 48.11% |
| Donegal | 33,286 | 75.01% | 9,316 | 20.99% | 1,774 | 4.00% | 6,434 | 12.66% | 39.76% |
| Dublin Bay South | 15,810 | 54.21% | 11,259 | 38.60% | 2,098 | 7.19% | 2,590 | 8.16% | 41.86% |
| Dublin Bay North | 28,501 | 64.58% | 11,815 | 26.77% | 3,815 | 8.64% | 7,100 | 13.86% | 48.50% |
| Dublin Central | 15,848 | 74.38% | 4,176 | 19.60% | 1,284 | 6.03% | 3,754 | 14.98% | 42.44% |
| Dublin Fingal East | 15,851 | 61.25% | 7,424 | 28.69% | 2,606 | 10.07% | 3,098 | 10.69% | 47.34% |
| Dublin Fingal West | 13,853 | 67.96% | 4,659 | 22.86% | 1,873 | 9.19% | 3,119 | 13.27% | 46.53% |
| Dublin Mid-West | 20,412 | 70.83% | 5,724 | 19.86% | 2,683 | 9.31% | 7,287 | 20.18% | 42.42% |
| Dublin North-West | 14,351 | 73.31% | 3,695 | 18.88% | 1,530 | 7.82% | 5,033 | 20.45% | 44.07% |
| Dublin Rathdown | 18,523 | 50.75% | 14,619 | 40.05% | 3,359 | 9.20% | 2,651 | 6.77% | 49.04% |
| Dublin South-Central | 18,750 | 78.98% | 3,723 | 15.68% | 1,266 | 5.33% | 5,585 | 19.05% | 41.08% |
| Dublin South-West | 28,079 | 63.05% | 12,375 | 27.79% | 4,084 | 9.17% | 7,537 | 14.47% | 46.01% |
| Dublin West | 18,528 | 63.98% | 7,756 | 26.78% | 2,676 | 9.24% | 4,438 | 13.29% | 43.34% |
| Dún Laoghaire | 21,138 | 51.78% | 16,358 | 40.07% | 3,325 | 8.15% | 3,468 | 7.83% | 47.80% |
| Galway East | 26,631 | 72.75% | 7,858 | 21.47% | 2,116 | 5.78% | 5,250 | 12.54% | 48.39% |
| Galway West | 35,441 | 76.84% | 8,475 | 18.37% | 2,208 | 4.79% | 4,420 | 8.74% | 48.99% |
| Kerry | 28,807 | 62.98% | 13,568 | 29.66% | 3,364 | 7.35% | 7,101 | 13.44% | 44.83% |
| Kildare North | 25,748 | 62.64% | 11,840 | 28.80% | 3,516 | 8.55% | 4,908 | 10.67% | 48.57% |
| Kildare South | 18,048 | 65.74% | 7,266 | 26.47% | 2,141 | 7.80% | 4,904 | 15.15% | 43.81% |
| Laois | 15,814 | 65.12% | 6,775 | 27.90% | 1,694 | 6.98% | 4,156 | 14.61% | 43.88% |
| Limerick County | 16,520 | 57.91% | 9,987 | 35.01% | 2,022 | 7.09% | 4,283 | 13.05% | 47.30% |
| Limerick City | 17,659 | 65.43% | 7,797 | 28.89% | 1,533 | 5.68% | 4,049 | 13.04% | 40.90% |
| Longford–Westmeath | 22,656 | 58.72% | 13,162 | 34.11% | 2,766 | 7.17% | 6,810 | 15.00% | 43.81% |
| Louth | 28,006 | 68.65% | 10,711 | 26.26% | 2,078 | 5.09% | 7,782 | 16.02% | 47.10% |
| Mayo | 28,039 | 65.83% | 11,957 | 28.07% | 2,596 | 6.10% | 6,311 | 12.91% | 45.49% |
| Meath East | 20,772 | 62.63% | 9,896 | 29.84% | 2,498 | 7.53% | 5,512 | 14.25% | 46.42% |
| Meath West | 15,477 | 64.02% | 7,015 | 29.02% | 1,684 | 6.97% | 4,560 | 15.87% | 44.26% |
| Offaly | 14,240 | 62.56% | 6,593 | 28.96% | 1,929 | 8.47% | 4,870 | 17.62% | 44.65% |
| Roscommon–Galway | 17,258 | 63.57% | 8,129 | 29.94% | 1,760 | 6.48% | 3,745 | 12.12% | 51.25% |
| Sligo–Leitrim | 24,331 | 63.46% | 12,024 | 31.36% | 1,985 | 5.18% | 4,828 | 11.18% | 49.20% |
| Tipperary North | 16,259 | 58.01% | 9,217 | 32.89% | 2,551 | 9.10% | 3,999 | 12.49% | 46.98% |
| Tipperary South | 15,563 | 61.66% | 7,793 | 30.88% | 1,883 | 7.46% | 3,889 | 13.35% | 44.16% |
| Waterford | 23,191 | 66.91% | 9,358 | 27.00% | 2,109 | 6.09% | 4,828 | 12.22% | 43.67% |
| Wexford | 21,667 | 66.71% | 8,733 | 26.89% | 2,081 | 6.41% | 4,571 | 12.34% | 43.90% |
| Wicklow | 23,701 | 63.91% | 10,658 | 28.74% | 2,727 | 7.35% | 5,681 | 13.28% | 51.65% |
| Wicklow–Wexford | 15,808 | 64.45% | 6,927 | 28.24% | 1,792 | 7.31% | 4,144 | 14.45% | 47.21% |
| Total | 914,143 | 63.36% | 424,987 | 29.46% | 103,568 | 7.18% | 213,738 | 12.90% | 45.83% |
At around 14:20, Heather Humphreys conceded the election before all the votes were counted after it was expected to be a landslide victory for Catherine Connolly.[273]
Sinn Fein'sLeader of the Opposition in theDáil Éireann,Mary Lou McDonald, said of the result: "Sinn Féin arrived at the moment where momentum had to be established and built and we achieved with others precisely that."[274]
TheIrish Mirror headlined the result as: "Youthquakes, spoiler votes and a new populist threat."[275]
The Guardian reported that Connolly'slandslide victory was seen as a rebuke to the centre-rightruling coalition.[276] The landslide victory ofCatherine Connolly was described inThe Guardian as a "stunning political feat".[277] Her appeal as an anti-establishment candidate was noted on.[278]BBC News noted the low turnout and that many ballots had anti-government messages.[279]
Connolly performed the best inDublin South-Central,Galway West andDonegal, where she received over three-quarters of the valid poll.[280][281]Cavan–Monaghan was the only constituency won byHeather Humphreys, which she represented from 2011 to 2024. Her home county isMonaghan.[282] The number of spoiled ballots in this election was the highest in any modern Irish election; in three constituencies, there were more spoiled votes than votes for Heather Humphreys.[283]
Michael D. Higgins, the current President was inaugurated for his second term on the 11 November 2018. This means that the next presidential election is scheduled to take place on or up to 60 days before 11 November 2025.
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