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17-09-2025
DUBLIN: Conor McGregor has announced he is withdrawing from the race to become Ireland’s next president.
The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) star hit out at Ireland’s “fixed” democracy, which he said only allowed “establishment-approved candidates” to get on to the ballot.
He posted on social media; “following careful reflection and after consulting with my family, I am withdrawing my candidacy from this presidential race.
“This was not an easy decision, but it is the right one at this moment in time.”
The mixed martial arts fighter had been set to address a meeting of Dublin city council and Kildare county council on Monday in an attempt to get on to the ballot for next month’s election.
He would have needed nominations by either 20 members of the Irish parliament or four local councils.
McGregor received no public support from any candidate at the time he withdrew from the election.
‘This is a marathon. Not a sprint’
The 37-year-old said his interest in becoming president, announced last year, was “sincere and genuine” and claimed he was only at “the beginning of my political journey”.
“This is not the end, but the beginning of my political journey,” he wrote in a lengthy statement on social media.
“I am driven by a commitment to improve lives, defend rights and serve the Irish people with dedication and integrity. I will continue to serve my people on the global stage lobbying for Ireland’s best interests socially and economically, of that there is no doubt.
“This is a marathon. Not a sprint!”
Michael Flatley had also thrown his hat in the ring for the presidency but pulled out this month to priorities his family and health.
The Riverdance star said; “I have decided not to run for president of Ireland at this time.
“I am honored by the encouragement and support I’ve received from so many people across Ireland over recent weeks, but I must put my family and my health first.”
What does the president do and what is at stake?
The president of Ireland is directly elected for a seven-year term and can only serve two terms.
They are tasked with being the guardian of the constitution and with representing Ireland at home and abroad.
The role is deeply symbolic, with many Irish people viewing the role as the keeper of the nation’s conscience and the choice of president as a message of what kind of country they want to be.
Who is the president of Ireland?
Left-wing politician and poet Michael D Higgins’s second term ends on Nov 11 after being president since 2011.
The 84-year-old former arts minister and sociology lecturer won a landslide victory to secure his second term with the largest personal mandate in the history of Ireland.
During his tenure, he became the first Irish president to make a state visit to the UK and was among the dignitaries at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
His two Bernese mountain dogs became much-loved minor celebrities in Ireland and frequently accompanied the president when he greeted visiting foreign leaders.
He has used his position to argue for anti-racism, anti-sectarianism and social justice over two terms. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
