A former general can defeat a former prime minister in a presidential election
Retired general Peter Pavel is the favorite to face former prime minister and billionaire Andrzej Babis in the second round of the presidential election, which begins on Friday and ends the next day.
Peter Pavel and Andrzej Babis before their televised debate in Prague on January 25, 2023.
AFP
Petr Pavel topped the latest polls with 58% to 59% voting intentions, compared to 41% to 42% for his rival. “Quite frankly, if the polls are conducted well, I think it will be difficult for Babis to go up,” Thomas Lebeda, an analyst at Balaki University, told AFP. He added that he expects success from Peter Paul.
The winner of the second round will replace Milos Zeman, a politician known for his outspokenness and close ties to Moscow, although he would return when Russia invaded Ukraine.
The new president of the Czech Republic, a Central European country of 10.5 million people, a member of the European Union and NATO, will face record inflation and deficits due to the war in Ukraine.
Although his role is essentially ceremonial, the head of state appoints the government, selects the governor of the central bank and the constitutional judges, and assumes supreme command of the armed forces.
Petr Pavel won the first round of voting two weeks ago with 35.4% of the vote over Andrej Babis (35%).
Ex-para vs billionaire
Petr Pavel, 61, a former paratrooper, is a war hero in the former Yugoslavia when he helped free French troops in a war zone. He later became head of the Czech General Staff and head of NATO’s Military Council.
Andrej Babis, 68, owner of Agrofert, an agri-food, chemical and media group, is the fifth Czech fortune, according to Forbes magazine. He served as Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021, constantly facing questions about his dual role as politician and businessman.
Both rivals were members of the Communist Party in the 1980s when Czechoslovakia was under the political direction of Moscow.
Petr Pavel has the support of several parties in Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s centre-right coalition, while Andrej Babis has the backing of his longtime ally Milos Zeman.
Controversial
Andrzej Babis sparked controversy last week when he said he would not send Czech troops if NATO allies Poland or the Baltics were attacked. He later backtracked on the comments, but it sparked criticism in the region.
Regardless of who wins, however, the election will not lead to a change in Czech foreign policy, independent political analyst Jan Kubacek said. “The Czech Republic will support the West, it will maintain its strategic relationship with the European Union and NATO, and it will remain with Ukraine,” he told AFP.
Polling stations will open at 2:00 PM (Friday) and close at 10:00 PM, reopen at 8:00 AM and close at 2:00 PM on Saturday. Results are expected soon.
AFP
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