No matter where you stand on the Repeal the 8th movement, you have to agree that it can be polarising, but it seems like it doesn't affect voting in student elections. Katie Ascough has just been elected as UCD student union president, and she's fiercely anti-abortion.
Despite her strong Catholic beliefs, Katie said in her acceptance speech that she will be a union president for all students.
“They put the person who they believe will do the best job as UCD SU President first. I am so proud. I will represent all students,” she said after her election yesterday, reports Irish Times.
The third-year Science undergraduate won a huge 46% of the vote, and she was happy that despite her views on abortion, students were able to see past it and elect her as their leader.
“I would hope that students would not expect me to throw my beliefs away at the door. That is untrue to who I am, and what I believe.”
And even if she does have certain personal views, she said she will make sure she respects UCD's pro-choice stance.
Advertisement
“I came to UCD with opinions that might not be the norm . . . There’s so many different issues where we could, and we do disagree, and that’s perfectly healthy,” she said.
You can watch her speech below:
We want to know your thoughts! Tell us in the comments what you think of UCD's new president.
