Catherine Connolly has been elected as Ireland’s 10th president after a commanding victory that reshaped the country’s political landscape.

The independent candidate, backed by left-wing parties including Sinn Féin, won 63% of first-preference votes, the highest share in Irish presidential election history.

Connolly defeated Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, who conceded after securing 29%. Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin, who withdrew before polling day but remained on the ballot, received 7%. Voter turnout was 46%, with more than 213 000 spoiled ballots recorded, the highest ever in a presidential election.

Delivering her acceptance speech at Dublin Castle, Connolly pledged to be: “an inclusive president for all,” speaking first in Irish before switching to English. “I will be a voice for peace, a voice that builds on our policy of neutrality, and a voice that articulates the existential threat posed by climate change,” she said.

Connolly’s victory marks a decisive shift away from Ireland’s traditional parties, such as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald called the result: “a stunning victory” and: “a rejection of the worn-out politics of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.” From Northern Ireland, First Minister Michelle O’Neill hailed the outcome as: “an era of hope.”

Connolly was also supported by a number of hard-left parties and is a self-described socialist. Her victory could signal a shift to the hard-left in Ireland, at odds with the rightwards shifts in much of the rest of Europe, including Germany and France.

Outgoing president Michael D Higgins congratulated Connolly on her: “momentous day,” promising full support during the transition. She will be inaugurated on 11 November, formally succeeding Higgins after his two terms.