By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN (Reuters) -Ireland began voting on Friday to elect its next president with Catherine Connolly, a veteran lawmaker on the far-left of the Irish political spectrum, the clear favourite to win the largely ceremonial role.

The 68-year-old independent candidate, a long-time critic of the European Union in overwhelmingly pro-EU Ireland who has repeatedly denounced the bloc’s plans to boost military spending, holds a commanding lead over the sole government-backed candidate.

Her election would be a bruising rebuke to the centre-right coalition re-elected just 11 months ago and a potential future electoral boost to the previously divided left-wing opposition, led by Sinn Fein, which backed her candidacy.

FAR-LEFT FOREIGN POLICY VIEWS

Underestimated at the start of the

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