Czech Republic: Petr Pavel wins the presidential election

Petr Pavel with his wife Eva, at his electoral headquarters the preliminary results of the second round of the presidential election in Prague, Czech Republic, this Saturday, January 28, 2023. AP - Petr David Josek

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Retired general of the Atlantic Alliance, former elite paratrooper, Petr Pavel won the second round of the Czech presidential election, this Saturday January 28, according to still provisional results based on 90% of the ballots counted, which credit him with 57.07% of the votes against 42.92% for Andrej Babiš.

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Petr Pavel, new Czech head of state.

The function is essentially ceremonial, but all the same: the president appoints the government, chooses the governor of the Central Bank, the judges of the Supreme Court, and he ensures the supreme command of the armed forces, from which Mr. Pavel comes.

The retired general, 61, faces billionaire former prime minister Andrej Babiš, 68.

He declared during the electoral campaign that he wanted to be “ 

a worthy president

 ” for this country which is a member of the European Union, of NATO, and which has 10.5 million inhabitants.

More information to come.

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