The former populist prime minister Andrej Babis and the former general Petr Pavel will face each other in two weeks in the second and final round of the Czech presidential elections, according to the count with more than 99% of the vote counted.
Pavel, 61, leads the way with 35.25% of support, while Babis, 68, follows a short distance behind with 35.13%. In third place is the economist Danuse Nerudova, the only woman among the eight candidates for the head of state, with 13.9%. Participation reached 68.2%, well above the 61% five years ago.
To obtain the position in this first round, an absolute majority is needed, that is, more than half of the ballots, and since no candidate has obtained that result, the two most voted for face each other in a second call in two weeks.
The two most voted candidates have obtained more votes than expected, especially Babis, who was given 26% in the polls, below Pavel, with 29%.
The elections will replace the current head of state, the former Social Democrat Milos Zeman, whose second and last five-year term expires in March. Zeman has been a president with numerous controversies due to his attacks on the press and his closeness to Russia. and China, although it moved away from Moscow after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February.
Some 8.4 million Czechs were called to vote during two election days, Friday and Saturday. The polling stations were open this Saturday between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (7:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. GMT).
Pavel was a former head of the Armed Forces and was the first Eastern European general to chair NATO’s military committee, the Alliance’s highest military position.
The former general has advocated for stability and for its institutional profile, his campaign slogan has been “Let’s restore order and tranquility to the Czech Republic”, and he has advocated continuing to help Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression and maintain the European unity against Moscow.
Without being its official candidate, Pavel has received the support of “Spolu” (Together), the main partner of the center-right government coalition, which also includes the progressive Pirate Party.
“In the second round we have to show the danger that Babis can pose: populism and slipping out of the democratic and pro-European line,” Pavel declared at a press conference after beginning the count.
Babis has had the support of his liberal populist ANO party, the largest opposition party, and also that of outgoing President Zeman.
Last Tuesday a court acquitted Babis of a crime of fraud with community funds, which has given him momentum in the final stretch of the elections. Still, polls expect Pavel to win in the second round as the majority of voters for Nerudova and other candidates support him against Babis, a very polarizing figure.
The president enjoys legal immunity during his five-year term, something that will benefit Babis, who is facing other fraud investigations.
The former prime minister has a very loyal fan base but his main problem in the second round will be attracting voters for the other candidates.
