Former UFC champion McGregor declares candidacy for Irish presidency

Former UFC champion Conor McGregor has declared his intention to run for the Irish presidency later this year, framing his campaign around an anti-immigration platform.

The controversial ex-fighter made the announcement on March 20 via social media, positioning himself as the only candidate willing to challenge the government’s stance on migration, Caliber.Az reports, citing US media.

“Who else will stand up to Government and oppose this bill?” McGregor wrote in an Instagram post to his more than 46 million followers. “Any other Presidential candidate they attempt to put forward will be of no resistance to them. I will!”

McGregor’s bid comes as Ireland prepares for its next presidential election, which must be held by November 11. His announcement follows his recent appearance at the White House alongside Donald Trump on St. Patrick’s Day, where he echoed the US president’s anti-immigrant rhetoric.

“Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness,” McGregor stated on March 17, accusing the government of having “abandoned the voices” of Irish citizens. He also claimed that rural towns were being “overrun by immigrants.”

The remarks drew sharp criticism from Irish officials. Irish Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) Micheál Martin responded, saying McGregor’s comments “did not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.”

McGregor, 36, rose to fame as the first UFC fighter to hold two championship belts simultaneously. According to Forbes, he was the world’s highest-paid athlete in 2021. However, his career has been overshadowed in recent years by controversies, including allegations of sexual assault—claims he has denied.

A civil lawsuit filed in January accused McGregor of sexual battery during the 2023 NBA Finals in Miami. The Miami-Dade state attorney declined to press charges, and McGregor called the allegations “false.” In another case, a Dublin civil jury awarded €250,000 ($257,000) in damages to a woman who claimed McGregor had assaulted her in a hotel in 2018. McGregor testified that the encounter was consensual and vowed to appeal the ruling.

Beyond his legal battles, McGregor has become a divisive political figure. Analysts have pointed to his evolution from a symbol of Irish pride in the fighting world to a vocal advocate of nationalist rhetoric.

His anti-immigration stance aligns with concerns from some sectors of the Irish public. Ireland, a country of just over five million people, saw 141,600 immigrants arrive in the year leading up to April 2023 — the highest figure in 16 years, according to the Central Statistics Office. While the influx has been driven by the country’s strong economy, many workers are struggling with high housing prices and rent costs.

McGregor has long signalled support for anti-immigration protests. Some politicians have accused him of using his platform to inflame tensions over the issue, in a country historically known for its own waves of emigration.

By Tamilla Hasanova