Maria Steen has called for the 2025 Irish presidential election to be cancelled and run again, claiming its political legitimacy has been “further undermined” by Fianna Fáil candidate Jim Gavin ending his campaign.
Ms Steen, a conservative campaigner who had tried to run as an Independent candidate, missed out on a place on the ballot paper after securing 18 of the required 20 signatures from TDs and Senators before the deadline for nominations.
Some of her supporters, who include social conservatives and other right-wing voters, have threatened to spoil their ballots on October 24th in protest at what they see as a lack of choice. Ms Steen’s failure to get enough support to run as a candidate also prompted criticism and online abuse of Independent TDs and Senators who declined to back her.
Ms Steen says the dramatic exit of Mr Gavin from the race has “further undermined” the upcoming poll.
RM Block
“Democracy is supposed to mean that the people get to decide. The political legitimacy of the presidential election was already in doubt due to the closing of ranks by the major parties, which prevented any Independent candidate from making it as far as the ballot,” Ms Steen said.
“It has now been further undermined by the dramatic implosion of the Fianna Fáil-backed candidacy of Jim Gavin. As a result, the public is left with very little choice, and a large constituency feels totally unrepresented.
“Given all that has happened, the better course at this stage would be to cancel the election and call a new one, if for no other reason than to secure public acceptance of the legitimacy of whoever is ultimately elected to serve as our next president.”
Ms Steen said that if the presidential election was rerun, it is “likely” that she would try to run again.
[ A timeline of Jim Gavin’s short-lived push for the presidencyOpens in new window ]
This month’s poll will now be the first presidential election in more than 50 years to only have two candidates actively contesting, though Mr Gavin will remain on the ballot paper. Canvassing in Louth on Tuesday, Fine Gael candidate Heather Humphreys said she was the “centre ground, common sense, pro-European candidate in this election”.
“The presidency is above party politics and I am asking voters to place their trust in me so that I can bring my experience to the role of president,” Ms Humphreys said.
[ Michael McDowell: Why I didn’t nominate Maria Steen for the presidencyOpens in new window ]
Independent candidate Catherine Connolly, still a TD, spent much of the day in the Dáil for the budget.
On Wednesday Ms Connolly will visit the offices of Alone, the older people’s organisation, to speak about issues relating to ageism and loneliness.
