Czech Republic: Ex-NATO general favorite in presidential election

Polls reopened in the Czech Republic on Saturday, the last day of the second round of presidential elections, with retired NATO general Petr Pavel as the favorite against billionaire former prime minister Andrzej Babis. The winner will replace Milos Zeman, a controversial politician who enjoyed close ties to Moscow before being toppled when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Analysts have predicted a high turnout for this poll, especially after an intense election campaign. Petr Pavel, a former paratrooper, topped recent polls with 58% to 59% of voting intentions, compared to 41% to 42% for his rival. “Quite frankly, if the polls go well, I think it will be difficult for Babis to go up,” said Thomas Lebeda, an analyst at Palacky University.

Voting in the northern village of Cernousek on Friday, the former general said he wanted to be a “deserving president” of the European Union and NATO member states of 10.5 million people. “I am not going to make empty promises but describe the reality,” he added. For his part, Andrzej Babis, 68, whose wealth and legal concerns have made him a divisive character, described the vote as a “referendum on Babis” by depositing his ballot in Bruhonice, south of Prague.

In the first round, when eight candidates competed, Peter Pavel defeated Andrej Babis, winning 35% to 35.4% of the vote. And it has benefited from carrying the votes of some eliminated contestants. While Andrzej Babis can count on steady support from voters in his populist center-left ANO movement, experts say he has inspired voters with chaotic shouting during debates.

The campaign between the two rounds was bitter, with waves of misinformation mostly targeting Petr Pavel, and death threats targeting Andrzej Babis and his family. In a hoax posted on the Internet and later broadcast by SMS, it was even claimed that Peter Pavel was dead.

Although his role in the Czech Republic is mainly ceremonial, the head of state appoints the government, selects the governor of the central bank and constitutional judges, and assumes supreme command of the armed forces.

Peter Pavel, 61, is a war hero in the former Yugoslavia, where he helped liberate French soldiers. He later became head of the Czech General Staff and head of NATO’s Military Council. Both rivals were members of the Communist Party in the 1980s when Czechoslovakia was under the political direction of Moscow.

According to “Forbes” magazine, Andrzej Babis, owner of the agro-food, chemical and media group Agrofert, is the fifth Czech fortune. Prime Minister from 2017 to 2021, he sparked controversy last week when he said he would not send Czech troops if an attack on Poland or the Baltics, another NATO member, took place. His later comments, however, drew criticism in the region.

Polling stations should close at 2 pm. Results are expected soon.