Ireland re-elects Michael D Higgins as president and is preparing to overturn blasphemy law

Dublin:

Ireland has re-elected its president for a second term, according to official results released Saturday, despite a surge of support for the second prize after controversial comments against the ethnic minority of Irish travelers. 19659004] Michael D. Higgins, a former leftist arts minister with the support of three of the four largest political parties, was easily re-elected to this essentially ceremonial role with 56 percent of the vote, the electoral commission said. 19659004] Media coverage is focused on increasing support to independent businessman Peter Casey, came in second with 23% of the vote, compared to 2% at the same time. 39, an opinion poll conducted a few days ago.

Commentators have linked this increase to his comments. Irish travelers, one of the most marginalized groups in society, who, he said, are not paying their fair share of tax and are usually camping on land owned by people. other people.

The travelers' rights group, Pavee Point, said that the wave should trigger a wave in the Irish political system, one of the few in Europe to have experienced any wave of political parties in Europe. extreme right in recent years.

"It is important not to overlook the fact that a candidate has tried to exploit prejudices against a small, marginalized community," the group said in a statement welcoming Higgins' reelection.

Casey told reporters Saturday that he did not think the comments were responsible for the increased support, claiming that they could not be it. racist because he did not consider travelers as a different race.

Irish voters were also ready to remove the blasphemy offense from the constitution in a referendum held on the sidelines of the election. Exit polls and preliminary results indicate that more than two-thirds of voters supported this measure.

It is currently illegal to publish or speak of "grossly insulting or insulting remarks about matters sacred to any religion". [19659004] Polls at the exit of the polls are the latest sign of the weakening of the influence of the Catholic religion in Ireland, five months after voters overwhelmingly supported an attempt to cancel the polls. prohibition of abortion.

Attempted accusation against British television broadcaster Stephen Fry last year. God as "wayward, petty (and) stupid" was abandoned last year. A police source told the Irish Independent that the case had been dropped because they had not managed to find "a considerable number of indignados" as provided by law.

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