The controversial professional fighter Conor McGregor declared on Thursday that he would run for the mostly ceremonial position of Irish president in elections later this year, citing his anti-immigration views.
McGregor, who has been a leading figure for the far-right in Ireland in recent years, said on social media that he will run for president in order to block a long-awaited new EU migration agreement that would more fairly distribute the cost of handling refugee claims around the continent.
In an Instagram post to his more than 46 million followers, he asked, “Who else will oppose this bill and stand up to Government?” “They won’t face any opposition from any other presidential candidate they try to field. Yes, I will!
The post was made a few days after McGregor, 36, joined Donald Trump at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day, becoming the latest European buddy of the US president to advocate against immigrants, sparking criticism and controversy at home.
McGregor stated on Monday that the government had “abandoned the voices” of Irish people and that rural communities were being swamped by immigrants, saying that Ireland was on the verge of losing its Irish identity.
Dublin-born McGregor, who was once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, was the first fighter to win two UFC titles at the same time and, in 2021, Forbes ranked him as the best paid sports figure in the world.
He hasn’t competed in the UFC since losing back-to-back bouts four years ago, despite multiple reported comebacks. He has become a highly controversial figure in Ireland due to allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied.
A lady accused McGregor of sexually assaulting her during the 2023 NBA Finals in Miami in a legal lawsuit filed in January. At the time, police looked into the event, and the Miami-Dade state attorney decided not to charge him. According to McGregor, the accusations were untrue.
A woman who claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel in 2018 received damages of around 250,000 euros ($257,000) from a civil jury in Dublin last October. McGregor promised to appeal the decision and claimed that the two had consensual intercourse.
McGregor has also focused on sparring with people on social media in recent years. McGregor’s distinct brand of Irish patriotism, which garnered him admirers as a fighter, has transformed into a branch of “far-right” Irish nationalism, according to political analysts and far-right experts who spoke to CNN.
McGregor had previously stated his support for anti-immigration protesters as early as 2022. He expressed his ire at Ireland’s immigration policy, a delicate topic given the nation’s lengthy history of emigration, and some Irish politicians have accused him of stoking unrest online.
According to the Central Statistics Office Ireland, Ireland, a nation of little over 5 million people, saw 141,600 immigrants enter in the year preceding April 2023, the greatest number in 16 years. Some were drawn to the country by its robust economic performance.
However, the advantages are not reaching the pockets of many regular workers, who are finding it difficult to pay for the rising cost of housing and rent.
By November 11, Ireland’s next presidential election must be held.
McGregor stated in a Thursday Instagram post that if elected, he would put the EU migration plan to a referendum.
“Even though I strongly disagree with this agreement, neither the government nor I have the authority to decide on it. The Irish people have made the decision! Always! He penned it.
“With me as president, this is Ireland’s future.”
However, McGregor has a difficult time getting his name on the ballot because several Irish MPs publicly chastised him following the civil case last November, and few of them share his strong anti-immigrant sentiments.
According to the Irish electoral commission, candidates for president must receive the nomination of four of the 31 local councils or at least 20 of the 234 members of the lower and upper houses of parliament.
Be the first to reply