Ireland is electing its next president today, with two women competing for the post, the Associated Press reports, BTA reports.
The race pits Catherine Connolly – a left-wing independent candidate supported by a number of opposition parties, and Heather Humphreys - a former minister of social protection, community development and rural areas from the ruling party “Fina Gael“.
Polling stations in the country open at 7:00 a.m. local time (9:00 a.m. Bulgarian time), and voting will continue until 10:00 p.m. (midnight Bulgarian time).
According to the AP, the favorite in the race is Connolly, who relies on the support of the nationalist party “Sinn Fein“ and is known for his tough stance against Israel.
The new president will take over from Michael Higgins, who served two consecutive seven-year terms – the maximum number allowed by the Irish constitution.
The counting of votes begins tomorrow, and the first results are expected in the late afternoon, the Associated Press reports.