The Candidate Exits from Irish Election Campaign
In a stunning development, a key main hopefuls in Ireland's race for president has quit the race, dramatically altering the entire competition.
Withdrawal Announcement Reconfigures Political Contest
The party's presidential hopeful withdrew on Sunday night following reports about an outstanding payment to a previous occupant, converting the election into an uncertain head-to-head battle between a centre-right former government minister and an independent leftwing member of parliament.
Gavin, 54, a political novice who joined the campaign after work in sport, aviation and the military, quit after it emerged he had neglected to refund a overpaid rent of over three thousand euros when he was a property owner about 16 years ago, during a period of economic hardship.
"I committed an error that was inconsistent with who I am and the principles I uphold. I am now taking steps to address the matter," he said. "After careful consideration, regarding the possible effects of the continuing election battle on the welfare of my relatives and acquaintances.
"Taking all these considerations onboard, I have decided to withdraw from the presidential election contest with immediate effect and go back to my family."
Contest Reduced to Two Main Contenders
The most dramatic event in a political contest in living memory narrowed the contest to Heather Humphreys, a former cabinet minister who is running for the ruling centre-right party Fine Gael, and another candidate, an frank supporter of Palestinian rights who is supported by Sinn Féin and small leftwing opposition parties.
Problem for Leader
This departure also caused a problem for the leader of Fianna Fáil, Micheál Martin, who had risked his standing by nominating an untried candidate over the reservations of associates in the party.
The leader stated Gavin did not want to "create turmoil" to the presidency and was correct to step down. "Jim has accepted that he made an error in relation to an issue that has arisen in recent days."
Political Difficulties
Despite a reputation for skill and accomplishments in enterprise and sports – he guided the capital's GAA team to five consecutive championship victories – his political bid struggled through gaffes that left him trailing in an public opinion measure even prior to the financial revelation.
Party members who had objected to picking Gavin said the situation was a "serious miscalculation" that would have "repercussions" – a thinly veiled warning to the leader.
Election Rules
His name may still appear for selection in the poll taking place in late October, which will finish the long service of the current president, but voters now face a binary choice between a centrist establishment candidate and an independent leftwinger. Opinion research conducted ahead of Gavin's exit gave Connolly a third of the vote and 23 percent for Humphreys, with the former candidate at 15 percent.
Under electoral rules, the electorate chooses hopefuls by ranked choice. In case nobody reaches a majority in round one, the candidate with the least initial choices is removed and their support is passed to the next preference.
Likely Support Redistribution
It was expected that in the event of his exclusion, most of his votes would go to Humphreys, and vice versa, enhancing the possibility that a pro-government candidate would attain the presidency for the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition.
Function of the President
This office is a largely symbolic post but Higgins and his predecessors turned it into a venue for worldwide concerns.
Final Contenders
The 68-year-old Connolly, from Galway, would add a firm left-leaning stance to that tradition. She has assailed capitalist systems and remarked the group represents "a fundamental element" of the Palestinian community. She has charged Nato of militarism and equated Berlin's enhanced defense expenditure to the 1930s, when Germany underwent rearmament.
Humphreys, 62, has encountered examination over her performance in government in administrations that managed a property shortage. Being a member of that faith from the county Monaghan near the border, she has also been criticised over her lack of Irish language skills but commented her religious background could help win over loyalists in the North in a united Ireland.
