Ireland’s MEP candidate Clare Daly, known for her outspoken views, has been defeated despite receiving endorsements from celebrities like Annie Lennox and Susan Sarandon.
Eliminated on Tuesday after lagging behind rivals in the Dublin constituency’s 17th count, Daly’s left-wing stance and denouncement of western militarism during her European Parliament tenure drew both support and criticism.
Despite accusations of offering support to Vladimir Putin and other dictators, Daly garnered a significant following on social media and appeared frequently in state-leaning media in China and Russia.
In a statement, Daly expressed gratitude for the platform she had to advocate for peace, antimilitarism, and neutrality. She viewed her loss not as a rejection of those ideas but as a testament to their success and reach, despite establishment opposition.
With a substantial following of 424,000 on social media and endorsements from notable figures like Annie Lennox and Susan Sarandon, Daly had strong backing during the campaign.
In the Dublin constituency, Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews and Fine Gael’s Regina Doherty were poised to secure two of the four seats. Sinn Féin’s Lynn Boylan, Independent Ireland’s Niall Boylan, and Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin competed for the remaining two seats.
Green politician Ciarán Cuffe, known for his role in pushing legislation on building energy efficiency, also lost his seat in a closely contested race.
Reflecting on his defeat, Cuffe emphasized that the issues he stands for transcend individual elections and parties. Meanwhile, Daly declined an interview with an RTÉ reporter, citing a lack of prior interest during her time in office.
In the broader context of the local and European elections, voters supported Ireland’s centrist government, tempered Sinn Féin, and elected a few far-right candidates. The ruling coalition appeared poised for success in the European election as well, with counting expected to continue until Wednesday.
