Ireland reelects president, to end blasphemy ban

DUBLIN: Ireland re-elected its president for a second term, official results showed on Saturday, despite a surge in support for the runner-up after comments targeted at the Irish Traveller ethnic minority. Michael D Higgins, a left-wing former arts minister, won the re-election with 56% of the vote, the electoral commission said.

DUBLIN : Ireland re-elected its president for a second term, official results showed on Saturday, despite a surge in support for the runner-up after controversial comments targeted at the Irish Traveller ethnic minority.

Michael D Higgins, a left-wing former arts minister who enjoyed the support of three of the four largest political parties, easily won re-election to the largely ceremonial role with 56% of the vote, the electoral commission said. Irish voters also looked set to remove the offence of blasphemy from the constitution in a referendum held alongside the election.

Exit polls and early results indicated the measure had been backed by more than two-thirds of voters. It is currently illegal to publish or speak of anything “grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters sacred by any religion”.

The exit polls are the latest sign of the waning influence of the Catholic religion in Ireland, five months after voters overwhelmingly backed a bid to overturn a ban on abortion.