section_path: Political career (1973–2011)/Post-Ministerial career (1997 to 2011)
section_name: Post-Ministerial career (1997 to 2011)
paragraph_text: Post-Ministerial career (1997 to 2011)
  
  Higgins was appointed to the Labour Party front bench in 2000. In 2003, Higgins succeeded Proinsias De Rossa in the symbolic position of the president of the Labour Party, while continuing as the party's spokesman on foreign affairs.
  
  In January 2003, Higgins was actively involved in efforts to prevent the Iraq War. He met with Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, and proposed a peace plan to help avoid conflict. Higgins expressed deep concern about the devastating effects of war on Iraq’s civilians, particularly women and children, citing the horrors of 1991's Gulf War. He warned against the destruction of essential infrastructure, which violated international laws. Higgins believed Ireland could play a role in peace efforts, but he accused the Irish government of lacking a clear position, which undermined the country's neutrality. He also condemned the aggressive U.S. foreign policy under figures like Donald Rumsfeld and denounced the use of religious justification for war. While he opposed Saddam Hussein's regime, he stressed that war was not the solution and that a civil society in Iraq could only be achieved through non-violent means. In February, Higgins was a prominent figure in the anti-Iraq War protests in Dublin, where around 100,000 people gathered to voice their opposition to the invasion of Iraq. The rally began at the Garden of Remembrance, with Higgins addressing the crowd. Higgins joined others in urging the Irish government not to allow Shannon Airport to be used by U.S. troops en route to the Gulf.
  
  In September 2004, as Labour Party spokesman on foreign affairs, Higgins was contacted by Paul Bigley, the brother of British hostage Kenneth Bigley, who was being held in Iraq. Higgins reached out to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat through his representatives in Dublin, and brought up Bigley’s Irish heritage and Ireland’s neutral stance on the Iraq war. Arafat instructed his officials to lobby Iraqi political factions for Bigley’s release. Higgins also appeared on Al Jazeera to appeal to the captors and offered to travel to Iraq to assist in negotiations. Despite these efforts, Bigley was executed by his captors.
  
  Higgins indicated his interest in contesting the 2004 presidential election for the Labour Party. The party decided on 16 September 2004 against running a candidate in the election, seeing Mary McAleese as unbeatable.
  
  In August 2005, Higgins took part in a European fact-finding trip to Israel and Palestine, organised by United Civilians for Peace. The aim was to assess the situation after Israel pulled out of Gaza. Over a week, they visited Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Gaza. The group met with Israeli and Palestinian politicians, mayors from various towns, and representatives from NGOs and civil society groups, as well as diplomats from the countries involved in the delegation.
  
  In October 2010, he announced he would not be standing at the 2011 general election. He had until this point been living in a two-bed apartment at Grattan Hall on Mount Street, Dublin. He also has a family home in Galway.