Presidential Election 2025

Presidential elections are different but they have extraordinary political effects far beyond the limits of the Office.

Don't mind JMCC - like an Irish Times columnist, perfectly confident in completely flawed analysis. Especially wrong about MLMD - the Ard Comhairle desperately wanted her to run and make way for Pearse but she didn't want to do a Liadh. Of course, she'd have jumped at the chance if she thought she could win but even CC's victory hasn't convinced her that SF could win the Aras without Northern votes.

It was a seismic Presidential election but it won't bring down any party leaders (unlike Alan Dukes in 1990) although the Taoiseach and Tánaiste are both are badly shaken (like Haughey in 1990 and John Bruton in 1997, not forgetting that Enda got off lightly in 2011 because Gay was not his choice). From looking dominant as recently as August, MM's days are now numbered and Simon is changing his spots to ward off any challenges.

Mary Robinson's election in 1990 created the "Spring Tide" that changed Irish politics, for good or ill. Mary McAleese then helped Bertie to the best years any Taoiseach ever had (followed by the nightmare of 2008 -2011, which was not her fault) . Michael D.'s election in 2011 was a huge but short-lived boost to Labour. He distanced himself rapidly from the FG/Lab government and then repaid FF/FG for their support in 2018 by becoming the first President to openly criticise the Government and run a separate foreign policy.

Now we have elected our first maverick President and her voters want her to criticise the Government regularly, especially on foreign policy. Will it translate into votes for the Left parties which supported her? Doubtful.

CC mustered the Left-wing voters and crushed FG/FF but many voters stayed home or spoiled their votes. The media are dazzled by her 63% but that ignores the "spoiled" votes. She actually won 55% of all votes cast that day, a clear and indisputable victory but if the turnout had been at general election levels (60%), her FP vote share would have fallen well below 50%. Not the foundation for a Left majority, even assuming that those parties overcame their bitter rivalries.

More realistically, will CC influence the Left to become anti-EU and anti-American? The Left used to be consistently anti-EU when it was just a common market and it has always been anti-NATO (while pretending this was nothing to do with American investment here). I think the Left (yes, even Labour) will become "Euro-critical" and won't back any future EU referendum, especially anything which strengthens EU Defence. This would be an opportunity for FF/FG to re-assert their pro-Europe heritage but FF will have to grasp the neutrality nettle.

Your leading question may unwittingly point to a key truth which the media naturally ignores.

The media consensus is that the main problem with this farrago of a Presidential election was the scarcity of candidates on the ballot paper. I say the main problem was the absence of suitable candidates for the job. None of the would-be candidates would have solved that problem and some were wildly unsuitable (McGregor, Flatley…). I would be well-satisfied if the ballot paper offered me a choice between just two highly-qualified, capable candidates with alternative visions of the Presidency.

Obviously, Jim Gavin was not qualified and the Taoiseach cannot even explain why he was chosen (passing the buck to the Parliamentary Party just adds insult to the injury he inflicted on FF).

It also became obvious during the campaign that HH was not qualified. She was typical of many job applicants these days - highly credentialed but lacking the essential capabilities and nonetheless promoted to successively higher positions far beyond their scope (the Peter Principle run wild). Somehow she spent 10 years at the Cabinet table with multiple high-profile portfolios but never demonstrated any capabilities other than a pleasant manner.

CC is well able for her role as a maverick TD but her only experience of government is criticizing everything it does. Her personal attributes and lack of governmental experience make her unsuitable for a key constitutional role whose business is to assure the constitutional order by doing what the government legitimately tells her to do with the myriad powers and functions associated with her Office.

Unfortunately, the Irish people wish the President's role was precisely the opposite i.e. to stymie the Government and criticise its every failing. I am not questioning CC's victory or the legitimacy of her Presidency but we have elected someone who is by her nature and outlook unsuited to that Office and, in the coming years, she will either disappoint her supporters or cause constitutional chaos e.g. if she has her way, the Triple Lock will become a Quadruple Lock to which she holds the key.

Until now, Presidents were highly qualified with an outstanding CV, an impressive set of accomplishments and a national stature.

Apparently now it's enough to be articulate (líofacht sa Gaeilge mar sárchumhacht😏) and to appear sympathetic to everyone except political opponents.

Next time out, the Councillors will be left off the leash (because the major parties have learned the wrong lesson from this election) and we will get another Seán Gallagher i.e. a plausible outsider with a sheen of celebrity.

Who knows what the Presidency will look like after seven years of CC? I hope she proves me (and most of her supporters) wrong.

You really think the nominations process worked fine, giving us Jim Gavin and HH who opened the doors of the Áras to a far-left anti-EU, pro-Brexit, anti-American maverick TD who never served a day in charge of anything? (Mayor of Galway and Leas Ceann Comhairle are not executive roles.)

I agree on your second point - CC's margin was so large that she would have won even if the wannabes got on the ballot, with the possible exception of Bob Geldof who really did come too late but may well try again in which case the issue will not be moot.

Careful now! SethBrundle will shut us down for wandering off topic after CyclingTourist told us to move on.

But what a deliciously spicy topic this is! RTÉ super-agent Noel Kelly is named, a sure sign of more fun to come.

However, his undeclared involvement with Fianna Fáil caused difficulties for the creators of the Path to Power podcast, Today FM broadcaster Matt Cooper and NK Productions, owned by agent Noel Kelly.

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2025/11/01/ivan-yatess-role-on-path-to-power-podcast-to-end-following-presidental-campaign-revelations/

Mod: one week timeout for trolling