Conor McGregor really wants to be president of Ireland.
On Monday, the former two-division UFC champions launched an online petition in the hopes of paying enough attention to change the process so they can participate in the vote for the general election. Under current rules, potential candidates must be nominated and meet certain criteria before they enter the election vote.
Having encountered a lot of skepticism from local media and politicians when bidding to become president, McGregor is about to change these rules, allowing the public to decide whether to elect or not.
“I, Conor McGregor, declare my intention here to find an esteemed office of the President of Ireland,” McGregor wrote for his Change.org campaign. “However, the current constitutional framework presents an important barrier to democratic participation. Existing regulations require candidates to secure their nominations to qualify for votes from either the 20 members of Oilychitas or from one of the four county councils.
“In light of this, I propose a petition advocating for a change in the nomination process to allow my name to be included in the vote. I argue that there should be an unhindered right, both within the home and abroad, to determine candidates who will appear in the president’s vote, allowing Irish people to shape their future.”
McGregor has teased his transition to politics for several months, especially after meeting the White House to meet President Donald Trump on the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in March.
Generally speaking, Ireland’s presidency is very different from the US.
The President of Ireland is the head of state and is considered the commander-in-chief of the Irish Defence Force, but his role is primarily seen as a ritual facility without any significant political power.
Still, McGregor wants to hear him, so he’s trying to run for the role, so he hopes that this latest campaign could change the rules in Ireland so he can join the polls.
The latest move from McGregor comes days after an Irish court shot down his appeal, saying he was liable for sexual assault in a case that allegedly took place in 2018. McGregor recently announced plans to resume his UFC career after re-entering his promotional anti-doping program in hopes of being able to compete with plan cards at the White House in 2026.
McGregor hasn’t fought since 2021 when he suffered from a terrible broken leg during his trilogy with Dustin Poirier.