Former Czech general Petr Pavel has won the second round of the Czech presidential election. He defeated former Prime Minister Andrej Babis with 57.8 percent of the vote after counting 96.9 percent of the vote. International news agencies report this on Saturday. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala congratulated Pavel on his victory.
The 61-year-old Pavel is thus the new president of the Czech Republic. During the first round two weeks ago, Pavel also beat Babis. Since neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, a second round of voting was required.
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The new president of the Czech Republic began his military career in communist Czechoslovakia in the 1980s. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, he remained in service and rose to become the highest-ranking military officer in the Czech Republic. He then headed the NATO Military Committee. He retired in 2018, but then seemed to be preparing for a shot at the presidency. Pavel is formally independent, but has the backing of the Liberal coalition government and moderate candidates who fell out in the first round.
Support for Ukraine
Businessman and millionaire Babis is currently a parliamentarian, but was Prime Minister of the Czech Republic between 2017 and 2021. Just before the elections two weeks ago, he was acquitted of fraud involving European subsidies. Both as prime minister and in opposition, he has always been critical of Russia and supported Ukraine, but during the presidential campaign he suddenly became critical of NATO and the sanctions against Russia. Pavel has spoken out in favor of extra support for Ukraine and the introduction of the euro in the Czech Republic.
The presidency in the Czech Republic is mainly symbolic. The president has little executive power, but may appoint the prime minister and nominate judges to the constitutional court.