OPINION: There is a simple solution to Conor McGregor wanting to be President - let him run

DISCLAIMER: I dread the thought of Conor McGregor as President of Ireland, but he should be allowed to run for the Áras

Very few people polarise opinion in Ireland more than MMA star Conor McGregor. He is one of the most recognisable Irish people worldwide, and has made no secret of his desire to become the next President of Ireland with his largely anti-immigration shtick finding an audience on social media. During a rant in the White House, where he was speaking on the invitation of US President Donald Trump for St Patrick's Day, McGregor said there is an “illegal immigration racket” in Ireland and that rural towns are being "overrun" with immigrants.

Announcing his intention to seek a nomination to run for the presidency, McGregor wrote: "To the esteemed citizens of Ireland and the Irish diaspora, I, Conor McGregor hereby declare my intention to seek the esteemed office of President of Ireland. The current constitutional framework however, presents a significant barrier to democratic participation. 

"The existing regulations mandate that a candidate must secure nominations from either twenty members of the Oireachtas or four county councils to be eligible for the ballot. This system, while intended to ensure a degree of political influence among candidates, inadvertently restricts the direct voice of the Irish electorate.

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"In light of this, I propose a petition advocating for a modification of the nomination process to allow my name be included on the ballot. I contend that the citizens of Ireland, both at home and abroad, should have the unhindered right to determine the candidates who appear on the presidential ballot."

McGregor is right in that one thing is standing in his way and that's the Constitution. Despite reposting tweets about himself like, 'you don’t vote charisma into office. It walks in and takes the mic,' his petition has so far attracted a paltry number of signatures. It seems he must go the old-fashioned route to get his name on the paper.

The council route is the same one taken successfully by the likes of Peter Casey, Mary Davis and Sean Gallagher in the last two Presidential elections. A motion to nominate a candidate is put to councillors who vote in favour or against. Majority rules and if you replicate that with four county councils, you're eligible to stand for election as President. 

We have seen controversial candidates in other elections, most recently in the last General Election, when convicted criminal Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch narrowly missed out on a seat in Dublin Central. He attracted the fourth-highest number of first preference votes in a three-seater behind Mary Lou McDonald, Paschal Donohoe and Gary Gannon, all high-profile sitting TDs, including a Minister in Donohoe. 

There were a host of other controversial names from the political fringes on the ballot papers of last year's local, European and general elections. Most of them picked up a handful of votes here and there as their online following failed to translate to real votes, but some won seats and have taken them up, as is their right. Given the voters the choice to accept or reject them is true democracy in action. 

The process is that bit different for a Presidential election; it's more prohibitive, and rightly so. We shouldn't have dozens or hundreds of names on the ballot paper, but for some, the system does feel very closed-minded. People already in the so-called political establishment act as gatekeepers of democracy, deciding who is acceptable and unacceptable on behalf of the public they've been elected to serve.

Minister Darragh O'Brien recently said Conor McGregor "would not be fit to hold that office" with regard to the Presidency but that rhetoric is part of the problem. Arguing McGregor isn't palatable enough to go before the Irish people is like saying no one in a café should be allowed buy a cheese and pickle sandwich just because you don't like cheese and pickle sandwiches. The perceived elitist system is already being weaponised by those on the political margins, and it's an easy sell to their loyal followers. 'They won't let him run because they know he'll win.' That nonsense grows legs quicker than you think.

Perhaps paying too much heed to these people is wrong but there is a growing base of 'ordinary' people who are fed up with the political establishment too. Almost 60% of people in Ireland didn't vote for the governing parties of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in the General Election. That's not to say the government formed after November's vote is undemocratic, but it's easy to see how that large cohort of people who didn't want that outcome can be sucked into the orbit of far left or far right politics, particularly online. It's in that online universe conspiracy theories grow like an insidious fungus.  

Conor McGregor has painted himself as a man of the people; his courting of controversy is almost part of his brand and something supporters latch onto. Whether it's punching innocent people in pubs or being ordered to pay compensation in a civil rape trial; nothing seems to dim that aura in the eyes of ardent followers. To most people, they are abhorrent acts to have attached to your name, and would end most political careers, but then again, Trump happened in America - twice. 

All that said, the solution is simple; let the people decide. Think of the two scenarios from now until the Presidential Election on October 24. One where McGregor fails to get the 20 Oireachtas or four council nominations and the Presidential Election goes ahead without him. His exclusion emboldens his supporters and other figures, who admittedly he has no control over, to use it to whip up support for their own offbeat ideology. Why give them more fuel for their fire? 

The second scenario is Conor McGregor on the ballot paper and come what may. Could he win? It's highly unlikely. Then again, don't forget 'fans' nabbed selfies with McGregor as he turned up to court for assaulting a man in a Dublin pub in 2019. This is the level of fandom his crude-cut character attracts - but it's far from a majority. Canvass your friends and family and try to find one person who would vote for him. 

Give McGregor all the opportunity in the world to crash and burn. Wouldn't it be glorious to see him so confidently put himself forward only to be resoundingly rejected by the Irish people?