Michael D. Higgins is re-elected president of Ireland
IN THE HARDSCRABBLE Ireland in which Michael D. Higgins grew up it was not considered wise to “have notions” about yourself—to aspire to greater things, intellectually or culturally. But Mr Higgins, who was re-elected for a second term as president of Ireland on October 26th, had notions from an early age.
Born in difficult circumstances in Limerick 77 years ago, fostered at five to his uncle’s farm in County Clare, the young Michael D (as he is invariably known) was not content with being a clerk for the state electricity board. He started writing poetry, found his way as a mature student into University College, Galway, and launched himself into parallel careers as a sociology lecturer and a Labour politician.
In public life, his flamboyant intellectualism and somewhat long-winded oration might have counted as “notions” against him. His socialism seems at odds with the general political drift of a state that has been ruled by centre-right parties ever since it was born in 1921.
Yet none of this mattered last week, when the citizens of Ireland re-elected Mr Higgins to a second seven-year term with 56% of the first preference vote, compared with the 40% he won in 2011.
His success can be attributed to several factors, other than the affection in which he is widely held. First is the power of incumbency:...