Conor McGregor faces a massive uphill battle to even get on the ballot for the Irish presidential election later this year.
“The Notorious” announced his intention to run for president following a St. Patrick’s Day meeting with US president Donald Trump. But Irish election laws have barriers in place to keep political outsiders from getting involved in the proceedings.
McGregor will need the support of 20 parliament members or 4 local authorities. But of the 234 parliament members Sky News contacted regarding the Irish sports star, not one responded saying they would. 134 responded declaring they would not, and some gave some pretty scathing comments regarding their opinion of the former UFC double champion.
“He’s a misogynist and a thug,” one anonymous member wrote. “On behalf of the women of Ireland he can f— off.”
Ireland’s government is in breach of the U.N Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples!!!!
We are being put through a GENOCIDE BEFORE THE WORLD!
Save Ireland NOW pic.twitter.com/MeX0covtYD
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 27, 2025
“I consider him to be a tacky, moronic vulgarian,” another stated. “I would never consider him even remotely a suitable person for a nomination.”
“I genuinely would struggle to think of anyone worse to hold that position,” Garret Ahearn responded.
“Conor McGregor’s divisive behavior and rhetoric would be completely unsuitable for such a role,” lower house member Maeve O’Connell stated.
This isn’t the first time McGregor has been blanked by Irish parliament. An earlier tease of a presidential campaign in 2023 resulted in zero support and comments like “I wouldn’t nominate him to wash the dishes.”
There’s still 100 members of parliament who didn’t bother to respond to Sky, and then the 20 local councils to consider. Finding 4 councils with 51% of members who would vote for McGregor doesn’t seem impossible in today’s political climate, but councils aren’t known for putting forward many candidates, especially not controversial ones.
One anonymous politician says there’s “not a hope in hell” McGregor can win the presidency. We’ll see whether that stark opposition from the government stops him or just fuels his push to overhaul Ireland’s immigration policies.
