Former European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has withdrawn her candidacy for the 2025 Irish presidential election, citing health reasons. The Fine Gael nominee, who was considered a frontrunner, announced her decision on Thursday following a recent hospitalization for an unspecified illness.
In a statement, McGuinness, 66, expressed regret over her withdrawal, stating, “My priority now is my health. Given that the election is in a short couple of months, I do not believe that I have the strength to give the campaign my all.” She added that the decision was made on medical advice and was in the best interest of herself and her family.
McGuinness, a seasoned politician with a 20-year career in the European Parliament and a term as European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services, and Capital Markets Union (2020–2024), had secured Fine Gael’s nomination unopposed last month. Her withdrawal has left the party scrambling to select a new candidate ahead of the November election.
Fine Gael leader and Tánaiste Simon Harris called the news “an awful shock,” praising McGuinness’s contributions to Irish and European politics. “Mairead would have made an excellent President of Ireland,” Harris said, emphasizing the party’s support for her recovery, reports RTE.
The presidential race is now wide open, with socialist lawmaker Catherine Connolly currently the only prominent candidate declared. Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin are expected to announce their candidates in September. Fine Gael is set to convene its executive council to discuss potential replacements, with names like former MEP Seán Kelly and former Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald being floated.
McGuinness, a former agricultural journalist and MEP, requested privacy as she focuses on her health and family. The Irish presidency, a largely ceremonial role with a seven-year term, will see the successor to President Michael D. Higgins, who is constitutionally barred from running again.
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