Catherine Connolly wins Ireland's presidential election

Independent politician Catherine Connolly has won Ireland's presidential election and will serve as the country's 10th president after receiving 63.36 percent of first preference votes, according to official results released on Saturday evening. She has served as a member of parliament for the Galway West constituency since 2016, and previously worked as a psychologist and barrister.

She became the deputy speaker of the parliament's lower house in 2020, the first woman ever to hold the post. Connolly will be sworn in to succeed incumbent President Michael D. Higgins, who is set to complete the second of his two consecutive seven-year terms in November.