In the presidential elections of the Czech Republic, according to the results of counting 90% of the ballots, the 61-year-old former chief of the General Staff of the Czech Army and ex-chairman of the NATO Military Committee, retired general Petr Pavel, is leading. Voter turnout in the second round of elections was almost 70%.
Retired General Petr Pavel (57% of votes) and former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babis (42.9%) are running for the position of head of state.
The winner will replace Miloš Zeman in Prague City. For a long time, he was considered one of the most pro-Russian heads of EU countries, but after February 24, Zeman strengthened his position towards Moscow.
This year, voter turnout was the highest in the entire history of presidential elections. In the history of the independent Czech Republic, this is the third highest turnout rate — after the elections to the House of Representatives in 1996 and 1998, when 76.4 and 74% of voters came to vote, respectively.
- Petr Pavel is a military officer, the first chairman of the NATO Military Committee in the history of the Czech Republic and the countries of the former Soviet bloc (in 2015-2018). Takes a tough stance on Russiaʼs full-scale invasion of Ukraine, advocates the western orientation of the Czech Republic, while also appealing to patriotic feelings. He is supported mainly by supporters of right-wing, conservative and liberal views.
- Andrey Babish is a former prime minister, now the leader of the largest opposition party, a billionaire. Shortly before the elections, the court acquitted him in the case of fraud with EU subsidies. The core of Babishʼs voters are pensioners and people with low incomes.