Irish mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor has called for a “No” vote in Ireland’s upcoming referendums on care and the definition of the family.
On Tuesday night this week, the Dubliner reposted a Gript video on social media, in which Taoiseach Leo Varadkar ignored a reporter’s question on the referendum, walking away from the podium while the journalist was mid-sentence.
The UFC two-division world champion took this opportunity to make his feelings on the upcoming votes known.
“Vote NO!” he wrote to his 10.4 million followers on X.
Vote NO! https://t.co/lqoIT3Dxrp
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) February 20, 2024
One of the referendums in question would seek to redefine the “family” as being based not merely on marriage, but on marriage or another “durable relationship.” The other would seek to remove the Constitution’s recognition of the support that women offer to society through their domestic work, and replacing this with a “gender-neutral” reference to the care that family members give to one another. A “No” vote means to reject these changes, and to leave the Constitution as it is currently.
The 35-year-old fighter McGregor has been outspoken on a variety of political issues in the past year, and has strongly hinted at a desire to contest the Irish presidential election in 2025.
Ireland, your President. ☘️❤️ pic.twitter.com/MdLQZzUwiI
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 4, 2023
In December of last year he compared himself to some of the likely presidential candidates, highlighting their advanced age and their “unbreakable ties to their individual parties’ politics.” He added that he was “Young, active, passionate, fresh skin in the game.”
Potential competition if I run. Gerry, 78. Bertie. 75. Enda, 74. Each with unbreakable ties to their individual parties politics. Regardless of what the public outside of their parties feel. These parties govern themselves vs govern the people. Or me, 35. Young, active,… pic.twitter.com/HiLn3jAQ2e
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 4, 2023
The Crumlin native has also drawn both praise and criticism from various circles after he criticised Ireland’s current asylum and immigration policy for being too lax last year, calling for immigrants who commit crimes to be deported.
This led People Before Profit TD Mick Barry to accuse McGregor of promoting “toxic masculinity.”
“An ultra-macho image”: Conor McGregor is a “multimillionaire tweeter” who promotes “toxic masculinity” and “imprisons” young men in a “rigid gender stereotype,” People Before Profit TD Mick Barry has told the Dáil.#gripthttps://t.co/Y4C8vCA9Yv
— gript (@griptmedia) December 7, 2023