Run-off election in Czech presidential election: General a.
D. competes against billionaire
Created: 01/16/2023 05:08
Petr Pavel is up against Andrej Babiš in a runoff.
© IMAGO/Vit Simanek
After the first round of voting failed to identify a new president in the Czech Republic, there is now a runoff between Petr Pavel and Sergej Babiš.
The news ticker.
Tough bandages
in the
election campaign
: Babiš compares Pavel to Vladimir Putin
This
news ticker
on the presidential elections in the Czech Republic is constantly updated.
First report:
Prague – In the tight race for the presidency in the Czech Republic, there will be an exciting runoff in just under two weeks: the populist ex-prime minister Andrej Babiš will meet the former NATO general Petr Pavel in another round of voting.
The two opponents were almost level in the first ballot on Friday and Saturday.
Pavel, who campaigned for "order and calm", achieved a slightly better result than Babiš with 35.4 percent of the vote.
The billionaire came up with 35 percent, as the provisional official final result showed.
For a win in the first round, one of the candidates would have had to achieve an absolute majority.
The President has predominantly representative tasks, but is regarded as an influential opinion leader.
Presidential elections in the Czech Republic: Babiš compares runoff opponents with Putin
Surprisingly, the only woman among the eight applicants, economics professor Danuse Nerudova, came third with 13.9 percent.
68.2 percent of the 8.3 million eligible voters cast their votes in the third direct election since the constitution was amended.
Babiš, who led the government from 2017 to the end of 2021, described his performance as "fantastic".
In an aggressive speech, the 68-year-old even compared his opponent Pavel to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Pavel expects a tough election campaign before the play-off on January 27th and 28th: Babis doesn't know how to play without fouls, the 61-year-old told his campaign team in Prague.
Presidential elections in the Czech Republic: ex-president supports Sergej Babiš
President Miloš Zeman, who left office after ten years at the beginning of March, demonstratively supported Babiš on Sunday.
"In the overwhelming majority of civilized countries, the head of state is not a general," the 78-year-old told the
Blesk
newspaper .
The liberal-conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who spoke of a “battle of values”, and Nerudova, who lost the election, campaigned for Pavel.
Babiš presented himself as the advocate of those suffering from high inflation and energy prices.
His protest party ANO initiated a vote of no confidence in parliament.
Born in Slovakia, he was acquitted just a few days ago in a trial of fraud involving EU subsidies.
Pavel, who is supported by the "SPOLU" electoral alliance, referred to his experience as a former chairman of the NATO military committee - also against the background of the Ukraine war.
also read
Putin's new miracle weapon: the "Zirkon" hypersonic missile as a nightmare for military strategists?
TO READ
Military expert Masala becomes clear in “Lanz” – on the subject of migration: “You spit in their face”
TO READ
Russia's parade tanks become a mass grave for its own troops
TO READ
Putin spokesman sees NATO "involved" in Ukraine war - Armenia gives Russia a low blow
TO READ
Ukraine expects more explosions in Russia – Explosive report on CIA involvement
TO READ
Fancy a voyage of discovery?
My space
Presidential elections in the Czech Republic: candidates have different positions on Ukraine
During his tenure, Zeman drew attention to himself with provocative statements about Muslims and migrants and sought rapprochement with China and Russia.
The president also appoints the government, can refer laws back to parliament once, appoints the constitutional judges and is the supreme commander of the armed forces.
Unlike Babiš, General a.
D. Pavel clearly advocated further arms deliveries to Ukraine.
"Choose a hero" was one of his campaign slogans.
In January 1993, during the Yugoslav war, Pavel led a blue helmet commando that rescued more than 50 French UN soldiers from a dangerous position between enemy lines.
(dpa)
