section_path: Presidency/Second term (2018–present)
section_name: Second term (2018–present)
paragraph_text: Second term (2018–present)
  
  On 10 July 2018, Higgins announced that he would stand for a second term as president in the 2018 Irish presidential election, despite having previously stated during the campaign for his first term that he would not. Higgins won the 2018 presidential election with 56% of the vote on the first count (822,566). His nearest rival, Peter Casey, finished on 23% (342,727). On 11 November 2018, Higgins was inaugurated as president of Ireland in St. Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle, in a ceremony attended by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and former presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, as well as representatives of all political parties. The ceremony was held in the evening so that Higgins could attend Armistice Day commemorations in the morning.
  
  On 3 July 2019, Higgins began a three-day state visit to Germany. While visiting Germany, Higgins met with German chancellor Angela Merkel and President of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
  
  In July 2021, Higgins sent a letter to the Oireachtas expressing concern that there had been a tendency in recent years for him to be sent a large volume of complex legislation to be signed quickly.
  
  On 15 September 2021, Higgins declined an invitation to attend a church service with Britain's Queen Elizabeth in October to mark Northern Ireland's centenary. Two days later on 17 September, Higgins defended his decision not to attend the service and decided it would be "inappropriate to attend". Pope Francis described Higgins as a "wise man of today" during an audience in the Vatican.
  
  On 15 June 2022, Higgins described housing in Ireland as "our great, great failure," saying, "It isn't a crisis anymore — it is a disaster."
  
  On 19 September 2022, Higgins was among 500 presidents, prime ministers, foreign royal family members and dignitaries who attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
  
  On 24 January 2023, Higgins began a five-day state visit to Senegal, his first time in Africa since 2014. While visiting Senegal, Higgins met with Senegalese president Macky Sall.
  
  On 13 April, Higgins received U.S. President Joe Biden at Áras an Uachtaráin during his four-day visit to the island of Ireland.
  
  On 28 April, Higgins made a speech from Áras an Uachtaráin in which he criticised economists for being "obsessed" with economic growth and consumption and for promoting " neoliberalism ". The same speech urged economists to be more environmentally conscious and to imagine a greener future. The speech was criticised by Irish economists, who responded by arguing that Higgins's criticisms were outdated by several decades and that the study of economics in 2023 pivoted long ago to be highly environmentally conscious, something Higgins would be aware of if he interacted with economists more. Labour senator Marie Sherlock defended Higgins's commentary while the Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe stated he welcomed the debate brought about by Higgins's comments.
  
  On 6 May, Higgins was at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla, marking the first time that a President of Ireland had attended the coronation of a British monarch.
  
  On 29 February 2024, Higgins was taken to hospital as a precaution after complaining of feeling unwell. On 24 April, Higgins confirmed he had suffered a mild stroke.
  
  On 20 December 2024, Higgins delivered his final Christmas Message as President of Ireland, in which he called against worldwide conflict and the ensuing human rights violations, praised the Irish communities worldwide, wished well all new citizens welcomed to the country and thanked the people of Ireland for their support over his two terms as President.
  
  On 27 January 2025, Higgins was accused by multiple Israeli Ministers and former Israeli Ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich of "politicalising" a Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration in Dublin to commemorate 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz. One protester was removed and others left the event during Higgins's speech, when he said "Those in Israel who mourn their loved ones, those who have been waiting for the release of hostages, or the thousands searching for relatives in the rubble in Gaza will welcome the long-overdue ceasefire for which there has been such a heavy price paid." Tom O'Dowd, the chairperson of Holocaust Education Ireland (who organise the commemoration), said "It turned out to be a very small protest. It didn't stop the President in his stride. And I think it is worth pointing out that the President has spent a lifetime fighting for civil and human rights, and I don't think he would object to people objecting either." This was the seventh occasion on which Higgins had been invited to speak at the annual commemoration.