"Ireland's new president, Catherine Connolly, is a proud leftist who has served for almost a decade as an independent socialist member of the Irish parliament (Dáil Éireann), a blunt critic of the failures of neoliberalism and corporate globalization, and a visionary advocate for the sort of dramatic interventions that are needed to address the economic inequality that has made life increasingly unaffordable for working-class families."
"Connolly, who was elected in a landslide on Saturday with 63.4 percent of the vote, also has an anti-colonial and anti-imperialist sensibility rooted in her own country's long struggle against the British Empire. As such, she campaigned as a defender of Ireland's long-standing policy of military neutrality-decrying the international arms trade and " the warmongering military-industrial complex"-and a fierce supporter of Palestinian rights."
"Elected as an independent who challenged candidates backed by Ireland's two major center-right parties, Connolly will hold the largely ceremonial-but often influential-presidential post as an outspoken official who observers from across the political spectrum predict will serve as the most left-wing president in Irish history. The result drew note from beyond the borders of Ireland-with former British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn hailing "a landslide victory for humanity and for hope"-and offered at least a few lessons for progressives in the United States."
Catherine Connolly won Ireland's presidency with 63.4 percent of the vote, running as an independent leftist who served nearly a decade as an independent socialist TD. She champions major economic interventions to confront neoliberal failures and rising unaffordability for working-class families. Connolly expresses anti-colonial and anti-imperialist views rooted in Ireland's history and defends military neutrality, denouncing the international arms trade and the "warmongering military-industrial complex," while strongly supporting Palestinian rights. She criticized U.S. financial support for Israel's assault on Gaza. The presidency is largely ceremonial but she is expected to be an influential, outspoken left-wing figure.
Read at The Nation
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