Following a run-off vote on Saturday, former army general Petr Pavel defeated businessman Andrej Babis to win the election to lead the Czech Republic.
The Czech Statistics Office reported that 61-year-old Pavel received more than 58 percent of the vote. Babis, a controversial former premier and divisive figure in Czech politics, admitted defeat and congratulated Pavel.
Pavel, a former head of NATO’s military committee, will take over for the contentious President Milos Zeman.
Following the announcement of the results, Pavel remarked, “I would like to thank those who voted for me as well as those who did not vote for me but came to the polls because they made it obvious they honored democracy and cared about this country.
He continued, “I can see that qualities like honesty, integrity, respect, and humility have prevailed in this election.
Pavel has expressed his support for the nation’s decision to give Ukraine military and humanitarian aid while it is at war with Russia. He considered participation in NATO and the European Union as being essential to the future of the Czech Republic.
Zeman, with whom he shares euroscepticism and a propensity for employing rhetorical attacks against immigrants, had backed Babis, 68.
It was Babis’ second significant setback in recent years after his centrist ANO (YES) movement lost the general election of 2021 and found itself in opposition.
Because no one of the eight initial candidates received an absolute majority in the first round of voting two weeks ago, the election was decided by a run-off between Pavel and Babis.
As misinformation dogged the last campaign, Babis and his family have received death threats, and Pavel was the object of a scam stating that he had passed away.
The presidential campaign, the numerous crises we have experienced and are currently experiencing, as well as the local political climate that has recently taken hold have all had an adverse effect on our town, according to Pavel.
“This must change, and you have assisted me in taking the first step toward this change,” I said.
Zeman was the first president chosen by the general public. In March, his second and last five-year term comes to an end. The two presidents before Vaclav Klaus and Vaclav Havel were chosen by lawmakers.
