Czech voters are preparing to go to the polls to vote for the country’s next president, who will take office in March, writes BBC.
In the second round of elections, the main candidates for the position of the country’s highest office are former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and retired NATO general Petr Pavel. The electoral battle is described as a contest between a populist oligarchy and a liberal democracy.
At the moment, it looks like Pavel is in the lead, but the pre-election campaigns have been marked by misinformation and even death threats. This week, Pavel used social networks to decline the announcements of his death, spread by e-mails, and said that the police are investigating the case.
Babis also condemned the spread of fake news and canceled the planned events because he had received threats.
Pavel maintains his leadership position despite revealing that he received training as an intelligence agent during the Soviet era.
At a recent campaign event, the retired general said he served the country, not the political system, and as president, he also wants to serve the country. Pavel believes that the Czech Republic should maintain its position in the European Union and NATO and support Ukraine. His political direction can be characterized as progressive.
Babis, on the other hand, once formed a close relationship with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Babis has used the fear that the war from Ukraine may spread further into Europe as his main trump card.
The election results will be announced in the afternoon of Saturday, the 28th of January.