Veteran left-winger Connolly clear favourite as Ireland votes for president

By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN (Reuters) -Ireland began voting on Friday to elect its next president with Catherine Connolly, a veteran lawmaker on the far-left of the Irish political spectrum, the clear favourite to win the largely ceremonial role.

The 68-year-old independent candidate, a long-time critic of the European Union in overwhelmingly pro-EU Ireland who has repeatedly denounced the bloc's plans to boost military spending, holds a commanding lead over the sole government-backed candidate.

Her election would be a bruising rebuke to the centre-right coalition re-elected just 11 months ago and a potential future electoral boost to the previously divided left-wing opposition, led by Sinn Fein, which backed her candidacy.

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Underestimated at the start of the campaign, when she was not a household name or considered among the favourites, Connolly had a lead of between 15 and 18 points over ex-Fine Gael cabinet minister Heather Humphreys in polling completed this week.

Her role as a leading pro-Palestinian voice in parliament - a stance shared by the government and most voters - helped galvanise support on the left, while attacks on government policy in areas such as housing have found wide appeal among younger voters.

Connolly has also benefited from dire campaigns from the two governing parties. Humphreys was hastily selected after Fine Gael's first choice candidate withdrew due to illness. Fianna Fail's pick, former Gaelic football coach Jim Gavin, abandoned his bid after less than a week due to a financial scandal.

An Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll last week showed that 49% of respondents said they did not feel represented by any of the candidates.

Many of her views - from questioning the trustworthiness of the United States, Britain and France over their stance on the war in Gaza to comparing German rearmament spending to that of the 1930s - are well to the left of the parties backing her, as well as outspoken incumbent Michael D Higgins.

The former deputy speaker of Ireland's lower house has also faced criticism over a 2018 "fact-finding" trip she was part of to Syria, then led by Bashar al-Assad.

Ireland's president is largely a figurehead, with seldom-used powers to test the constitutionality of legislation, but often speaks on the global stage.

While Connolly has accused the U.S. - a crucial source of foreign direct investment into Ireland - of enabling genocide in Gaza, she said she would welcome President Donald Trump to her residence, if elected.

Government ministers sought to attack Connolly's record of opposing referendums to deepen Ireland's integration with the EU, but it did not become a major issue.

The counting of votes begins at 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Saturday with a final result expected later in the day.

(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Alex Richardson)