Conor McGregor at the High Court in Dublin during his civil case.RollingNews.ie
Former MMA fighter Conor McGregor’s online petition seems to be gaining serious attention with over 13,000 signatures to date.
McGregor, who lost his appeal in the infamous Nikita Hand case last week, launched the petition on Monday evening, calling it "Let the people decide. A petition to Ensure that Conor McGregor is on the Ballot."
The 37-year-old is hoping to run for the President of Ireland in the upcoming election, which is expected to take place in November.
In order to run for the office, a candidate must be an Irish citizen over the age of 35.
They must also receive a nomination from at least 20 members of the Oireachtas, either TDs or Senators, or from four local authorities, which seems like it might prove difficult for McGregor.
The Crumlin native launched his online petition on Monday in a bid to change the nomination process, claiming that the current system "inadvertently restricts the direct voice of the Irish electorate."
So far, there are only two confirmed candidates in this year’s presidential race. Fine Gael’s Mairead McGuinness and Independent TD Catherine Connolly.
"Riverdance" star Michael Flatley is also set to seek a nomination to become Ireland’s next president.
McGregor’s petition, which at the time of writing has gained over 13,000 signatures, reads: "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."
It adds: "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.
"Therefore, I implore you to join me in this endeavor by signing this petition. Your support will be instrumental in championing a more inclusive and democratic electoral process, thereby empowering the people of Ireland to shape their own future."
However, it is unclear how many of the verified signatures actually came from Irish citizens, as anybody can sign the online petition from anywhere in the world. This makes verifying Irish support for McGregor difficult. A poll conducted by Extra.ie has found that just 8% of people said they would vote for the MMA star, while 88% said that they would not.
Extra.ie has reached out to Change.org for comment.
Meanwhile, another online petition was launched the same day, with the aim of banning the controversial MMA star from making an Áras bid.
Titled ‘Ban Conor McGregor from running for the Presidency of Ireland’, it reads: "We cannot allow such a hateful individual as Conor McGregor to run for the highest office in the land and make a mockery of our country.
"Stop him before he starts. I call on the Government of Ireland to ban Conor McGregor from the Office of the President."
It adds: "This would be a national embarrassment for him to run or (even worse) win the election. Nobody thought Trump had a chance in 2016, let’s not give this eejit a chance to get the ball rolling."
At the time of writing, this petition has 1,583 verified signatures.
*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.