Czechs will continue to look westward – it became known over the weekend that retired NATO general Petr Pavel won the presidential election, Reuters reports.
Pavel applied for the position of president for the first time and won the support of 58.3% of the voters, thereby beating the former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babis.
The newly elected president campaigned as an independent candidate. After announcing the results on the 28th of January, Pavel spoke about unity:
«Values such as truth, dignity, respect, and humility won. I am convinced that these values are shared by the vast majority of us, it is worth us trying to make them part of our lives and also return them to Prague Castle and our politics.»
Former NATO general supports military aid to Ukraine. He will officially take up the post in March and will take the place of Milos Zeman who saw Babis as his successor. The current president has moved the country towards closer relations with Beijing, and tried to cooperate with Moscow until the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Pavel’s election will mark a drastic change in politics.
Babis, the leader of the largest opposition party in the Czech Republic, has often criticized Pavel during the pre-election campaign. Now both Babis and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala have congratulated Pavel on his victory.
Pavel has strongly insisted on the Czech Republic keep its position in the European Union and NATO. Also, the newly elected president supports the introduction of the euro and supports an overall progressive policy.
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