00:00Can Conor McGregor really run for the Irish presidency?
00:08This is controversial martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, a figurehead for Ireland's
00:14far right who last year was found liable for brutally raping and battering a woman.
00:21Last month he was given a stage at the White House.
00:32The Irish Taoiseach Michael Martin later criticised those comments saying McGregor does not represent
00:38the Irish people.
00:39Now McGregor says he is running to be Ireland's president, a largely ceremonial role currently
00:46held by Michael D Higgins.
00:49But can he even run?
00:51In Ireland, a presidential candidate has to either be nominated by at least 20 members
00:56of the Oireachtas, the Irish parliament, or by four local authorities.
01:01Experts say it's unlikely McGregor can secure a nomination via either route.
01:15The Irish president is the head of state but has limited powers and must mainly act
01:20on the advice of the government.
01:22The president cannot even leave the country without the government's permission.
01:25Yet McGregor claims he would, as president, block the EU's migration pact, legislation
01:31aimed at making EU countries distribute the burden of processing asylum claims.
01:36He also says he would put the pact up to a referendum.
01:40But the Irish president does not have veto power over legislation and cannot unilaterally
01:45call a referendum without the support of parliament.
01:49McGregor's prospects of running for office and pursuing his political goals look slim
01:53at best.
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