Independent Catherine Connolly is expected to be Ireland’s next President as vote count began on Saturday in the country.
Tallies suggest strong lead for Connolly across the country, according to RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster, that also reports that early figures from around the country suggest she is on course to become Ireland's 10th president later on Saturday.
Connolly, 68, is a former lawyer and is supported by the main opposition parties, including the Greens and Sinn Fein, once the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
She opposed increasing defence spending and defends the tradition of Ireland’s military neutrality.
Her opponent, Heather Humphreys, is a member of the center-right Fine Gael party, a pillar of the governing coalition. Coming from Ireland’s Protestant minority, she presented herself throughout the election campaign as a unifying figure.
CNA/RTÉ