Pavel becomes Czech President: Clear victory for the pro-Europeans

The election campaign was tough, but in the end populist and billionaire Babis was unable to assert himself. The pro-European ex-NATO general Pavel becomes the new president in the Czech Republic.

The decision came quicker than expected: Petr Pavel was in the lead when the votes were counted from the start. Unlike five years ago, it was not the candidate with the fear and disinformation campaign that was able to prevail, but the favorite of the bourgeois pro-European camp.

“I would like to thank everyone who voted for me – but also those who didn’t vote for me,” Pavel said afterwards. “Because they made it clear that they respect democracy and care about what this country looks like.”

The retired NATO general said values ​​like truth, dignity and respect had won. The 61-year-old received more than 58 percent of the votes, the oligarch and opposition leader Andrei Babis almost 42 percent. Voter turnout, at more than 70 percent, was the highest since direct presidential elections were introduced ten years ago.

Pavel declared dead during election campaign

Pensioner Jarka did not want to speak directly in front of her polling station in central Prague. The capital is so hostile to Babis, she says. “I voted for him because he was a successful prime minister. Everyone in Europe knew him,” says Jarka. “Many live here in the past and find it wrong that someone is rich and a clever businessman.”

IT manager Martina voted for Pavel. “He wasn’t my first choice in the first round. But against Babis it was clear,” she says. His election campaign put her off. “I think Pavel has a better chance of uniting society. But that will take time, it has been divided for a long time.”

During the election campaign, 68-year-old Babis presented himself as a lawyer for the common people – and tried to portray his opponent Pavel as a warmonger. Babis reportedly received death threats. Pavel, on the other hand, was declared dead. Hacker groups from Russia paralyzed websites, and fake chain letters with draft orders to Ukraine made the rounds.

Populist Babis: “The opponent was tough”

The conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala spoke of the worst election campaign in the history of the modern Czech Republic. Just like in the parliamentary and senate elections, populism lost. “For Andrej Babis it is the third defeat in a row,” said Fiala. “And it looks like we are witnessing the beginning of the end of his political era in our country.”

The defeated presidential candidate and media owner saw things differently. He received more votes than the incumbent five-party coalition, said Babis. “Even if I lost, I am motivated to continue with my ANO movement. The opponent was strong – not only the five governing parties, but also all the media were against me.”

On March 9, Pavel is appointed the fourth President of the Czech Republic. The next date marked in red in Babis’ calendar also seems to be fixed: the parliamentary elections in two years.