Former EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness has been elected to one of the vice-presidency positions in the European People’s Party (EPP).
Ms McGuinness was among 12 candidates running for 10 “vice-president” positions in the centre-right EU political grouping that includes Fine Gael.
The EPP is the largest group in the European Parliament and includes the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), Polish prime minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform party, and the People’s Party in Spain.
Fine Gael has traditionally held one of the group’s vice-president positions, but failed to nominate a candidate to contest the last internal election three years ago.
Masseur admits to sexually assaulting woman during massage at Co Cork hotel
There’s a simple reason why building projects - from the petty to the transformative - take so long in Ireland
Donald Trump marks first 100 days in power with speech designed to leave fact-checkers with migraine
‘My future looks empty and lonely ... I should have invested more in friends, but it feels too late now’
Ms McGuinness was picked to stand for the party this time and came ninth in the election, to take the second last EPP vice-president spot.
It is understood Fine Gael leader Simon Harris spent recent days lobbying senior figures in the EPP to shore up support for Ms McGuinness in the vote.
Delegates from the EPP grouping voted during a two-day congress held in Valencia, Spain.
Speculation continues about whether Ms McGuinness is planning a run for the Áras, when President Michael D Higgins’ term finishes later this year.
Ms McGuinness previously served as Ireland’s European commissioner for financial services from 2020 to 2024. Before that she was a member of the European Parliament for 15 years.
Some of the other candidates elected to EPP vice-president roles included the prime minister of Finland Petteri Orpo, EU commissioner for migration Magnus Brunner, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani, and German MEP David McAllister.
Fine Gael has become more isolated within the ranks of the EPP in recent years, as the EU grouping has shifted further to the right on migration and climate policy.
Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly said “Mairead achieved a strong result today in her election as vice-president of the EPP party”.
In a statement, Mr Harris said her election was “vote of confidence in the Fine Gael party” and showed the “high regard” for Ms McGuinness within the EPP.
“Mairead will bring a wealth of experience and a respected voice to this role where she will help shape the polices of the biggest political party in Europe,” he said.
Delivering a speech at the EPP congress in Valencia, Mr Harris said the centre right grouping needed to be the “voice of stability and economic responsibility” in Europe.
“At a time of rising populism, where the far right and the far left are gaining in Europe, it is vital to reassert our progressive and compassionate centre … The only antidote to populism is the delivery from the centre of clear measurable improvements in people’s lives,” the Fine Gael leader said.
