Czech Republic Elects Petr Pavel President Over Andrej Babis - The New York Times

Czech Democrat Elects Petr Pavel President Over Andrej Babis

With more than 99 percent of the votes counted, the tally gave Mr. Pavel a decisive victory: 58 percent to 42 percent. Two weeks ago, in the first round of voting, Mr. Pavel and Mr. Babis finished neck and neck.

The Czech presidency is largely ceremonial, but the incumbent, Milos Zeman, who was barred from operating by term limits, stretched its limited powers to try to tilt Czech foreign policy toward Russia and China and loosen the Central European country’s moorings in the West.

Mr. Zeman, who last year dropped his previously pro-Kremlin views, did not upset the Czech government’s strong support for Ukraine, which has included sending tanks and other military hardware, but his reputation for heavy drinking and disruptive eccentricity has often raised questions abroad over the Czech Republic’s direction.

Taking a swipe at Mr. Zeman’s decade-long tenure, Mr. Pavel on Saturday declared the election’s outcome a “victory for the values that we fraction — truth, respect, humility.”

“I will make sure these values sponsor to Prague Castle,” he added, referring to the seat of the Czech presidency.

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SRC: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/28/world/europe/czech-election-results-pavel-babis.html