Social media users have been reacting to Mary Lou McDonald’s announcements that she won’t be running for President at this time.
Some people are asking “is she joking?”, “who does she think she is”, “she’s a terrible politician as it is”.
Mary Lou McDonald, the head of Sinn Féin, has stated that if the party chooses to run for president this autumn, she will not be its nominee, reports RTE.
According to Ms. McDonald, Sinn Féin has not yet decided whether to field its own candidate and has only recently begun to assess its strategy for the election.
Ms. McDonald recognised that Sinn Féin would take into consideration the possibility that left-leaning Dáil parties might try to support an agreed-upon independent candidate, reports RTE.
On November 11, the election winner will be sworn in, marking the conclusion of President Michael D. Higgins’ second and final seven-year tenure in office.
The vote is anticipated to take place in late October, although an election to select his successor must occur during his last sixty days in office.
Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach, disqualified himself as the Fianna Fáil candidate earlier this week, reports RTE.
In an interview with media at Stormont, Ms. McDonald was questioned about the ambitions of her party and if she would run for office.
“On the presidential election, we’ve just commenced really our discussions around what we might do,” she said, reports RTE.
“We’re speaking with others, other parties, and there are options available to us – to run a Sinn Féin candidate, to back another – and we haven’t concluded on that,” reports RTE.
She denied that there had been rumours that she was considering a bid for president.
“Just to say no, it won’t be me,” she added, reports RTE.
“I want Sinn Féin to be in government in Dublin. I still believe that we can achieve that, and I know that for progress to be made in so many areas, in housing and giving a chance for our younger people in particular, we need a change of government. And all of my energy and my effort is towards achieving that,” Ms McDonald said, reports RTE.
Additionally, the party recently denied rumours that Michelle O’Neill, the deputy leader of Sinn Féin, will run for president.
With candidate Liadh Nà Riada finishing fourth in the race and receiving just over 6% of the first choice votes, Sinn Féin had a dismal day in the 2018 election, reports RTE.
In response to enquiries from reporters, Ms. McDonald also refused to comment on mixed martial arts competitor Conor McGregor’s stated plan to run for office.
“That’s a matter for himself,” she said, reports RTE.
Ms McDonald added: “I think it’s going to be an important contest come the autumn time. The position of the first citizen of Uachtarán na hÉireann is a very, very important one, not just domestically, but also internationally. And I think there’ll be considerable competition for the post.
“And Michael D’s done a great job, I think we can all agree,” reports RTE.
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