Presidential Election 2025

We'll never know, due to enforced omerta, who FG councillors might have supported.

Connolly is an independent, meaning none of the parties that have backed her were able to find someone viable in their own ranks. Is that how it looks externally?

Notably no other party is running an "emeritus" type candidate either, SF would have Gerry Adams to fit that bill if they wanted to bring him out of retirement. Former leaders and even present day MEPs are being forgotten about by the government, sometimes in favour of celebrities with no political experience

Important to remember though that we are voting for a president with the equivalent political powers of King Charles, not one with Trumponian powers so other than a desire to give the govt a kicking it really doesn't matter who gets the job

I view SF as a more sensible PBP. PBP have taken SF’s old lines anti EU anti-business. Party of protest minus the guns.
To me SF are becoming more centrist but it is a gradual slow glacial process. And the whole Irish electorate deserve credit in the process forcing SF to grow up, and normalise.
Boards is a good barometer even diehard SF supporters are showing the occasional sign of mellowing, but they ultimately fall back to the old “Republican pantomime” cliches.

The likes of Mairead Farrell would probably make a good SF President someday. But that would be in three decades time or so.

If he is from 'outside the party' why does he have to join it now?

And there is no box to tick 'give FG FF control of the councils' on any ballot paper. It's a coincidence that they have that ability from a democratic process to elect councillors. Using that anomaly is a subversion of what the constitution intended IMO.
And before the usual crew go the usual route, I would think the same even if SF issued the same decree.

Fianna Fail said it had received his application. I presume he filled it in himself and approved it.

But the party got caught out by questions about whether Mr Gavin was actually going to be a card-carrying member.

“His application for membership has been received by the party,” a spokesperson finally said after two days of queries.

Basics and history of the Irish Presidency what they can and can’t do etc

https://www.rte.ie/news/presidential-election/2025/0908/1532252-ireland-presidency/

If you look at the shift in polling through the last campaign we had most of the main parties running the shifts are quite dramatic.

RED C polls on 25th Sept and 22nd Oct 2011
Davis went from 13% to 2%

Gallagher 11% to 40%
Higgins 18% to 26%
McGuinness 16% to 13%
Mitchell 13% to 6%
Norris 21% to 10%
Scanlon 6% to 3%

Then in the last days there was a huge shift with Higgins winning on 39.6%

An election that can be said to be all about the campaign and where anything might happen.

I also don't think it looks weak for parties to be backing outsiders. It's a bit strange for FF to back somebody not involved in politics but that's a side issue really.

If SF come out in support of CC on the 20th, as I expect them to do, it will give a huge boost to her campaign just as the campaigning starts and the posters go up. I don't think they are scrambling to try and find a candidate, I think they have already made up their minds on the matter they are just waiting to announce it at a time of maximum impact. Also they have a chance now to give their councilors the time to mull over any independent candidates that might appeal to them personally