Over two weeks Metro Éireann conducted a survey among our immigrant readers about the upcoming presidential election. Our aim was to know more about immigrants’ views about the candidates, their wishes and voting intentions.
After analysing all the results, it’s clear that Michael D Higgins is the most popular candidate among our sample group, with 35 per cent of responders giving him their first preference.
Higgins also comes first among second preferences, which indicates that he may benefit from a sizeable number of transfer votes. As well, he is seen as the candidate most likely to promote Ireland abroad, or to represent Ireland’s minorities.
The latest national polls from The Irish Times/Ipsos also place the Labour Party stalwart in first place, but not by such a significant margin. Nationally Higgins is polling 25 per cent, followed by Seán Gallagher with 21 per cent.
There is also high support among the immigrant community for Mary Davis. The survey places her as the second favourite candidate for the presidency, whereas in national polls she is currently in sixth position.
Davis is especially trusted by respondents for her foreign policy programme, coming just behind Higgins. Some 21 per cent believe she is the best candidate to represent Irish interests abroad.
Though popular with the average voter nationwide, Séan Gallagher is not the favourite of Ireland’s immigrants. He appears only in fifth place in our survey. Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, meanwhile, is as popular with immigrants as the nation overall, coming in third place.
By far the most unpopular candidate among immigrants in Ireland is former Eurovision winner Dana Rosemary Scallon, who received no first preference votes in our survey.
Fewer than half of those surveyed by Metro Éireann were Irish citizens, which emphasises that a significant proportion of Ireland’s immigrant population will not be able to vote for the new President on 27 October.
