Michael D Higgins elected as Irish President with Peter Casey as surprise second

The result of Presidential Election in Ireland has seen Michael D Higgins elected on the first count to serve a second term in Áras an Uachtaráin. In what has been described as the most lacklustre presidential contest for many years, the incumbent, Michael D Higgins, victory came as little surprise. However, the increase in support for Peter Casey, from a low point in the pre-election opinion polls, to second place with 23.3% of first preference votes surprised many. His rise in popularity appearing to coincide with controversial comments he made towards the end of the campaign, in particular in regard to Irish Travellers. Some have now pointed to his strong showing as a warning that Ireland is not immune from the rise of populist politics, mostly right-leaning, which has swept across Europe in recent years.