Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the head of Fianna Fáil, has hinted that he will vote for Fine Gael's candidate Heather Humphreys in Ireland's Presidential election this month.
There are only two official candidates still running Ireland's Presidential election - Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys and Independent Catherine Connolly.
Fianna Fáil's candidate Jim Gavin announced in a shock move on Sunday that he would be standing down from the election.
However, Gavin's name will still appear on the ballot as candidates can only withdraw from a Presidential Election up until the close of nominations, which was September 24 this year.
When asked who he would vote for, the Taoiseach told reporters in Cork on Friday: "In terms of my own personal position, personal decision, I'm pro-European passionately, pro-European Union, pro-the enterprise economy ... and I think of the two candidates, the person that is closest to those perspectives, it is clear who that is."
A reporter interjected: "Catherine Connolly?"
"No, obviously not," the Taoiseach replied with a laugh. "Not at all."
He continued: "Heather, obviously, would be closer to that."
Catherine Connolly. (RollingNews.ie)
Another reporter then asked the Taoiseach if it would be his first time voting for a Fine Gael candidate.
"Well, I've made my point now. That's the privacy of the ballot paper. We have a multi-seat proportionate representation system since the start."
Heather Humphreys. (RollingNews.ie)
The Taoiseach earlier rejected the notion that this month's election - with a Government candidate and an Independent candidate - is a referendum on the current Government.
He also said that upon Gavin's exit from the campaign, Fianna Fáil won't be directing its supporters to vote in any particular way.
"Fianna Fáil won't be giving any indications," he said.
"When you start trying to tell people how to vote, they generally go in the opposite direction; they don’t like being directed.
"A person’s right to vote is a very precious vote individually, so we won't be directing in any shape or form."
Jim Gavin. (RollingNews.ie)
When asked if it's "credible" that Fianna Fáil is not directing its supporters in a vote following Gavin's exit, the Taoiseach replied: "When you select your own candidate, you obviously back your own candidate.
"But if you try and sort of say to people, 'I want you now to go to a candidate that may not have been your first choice or second choice,' I just know from political experience, it doesn't work, that it is not the correct approach.”
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