Pavel will take office on 8 March. Photo credit: Petr Pavel, via Facebook.
Brno, 28 Jan (BD) – The former senior Czech Army and NATO official General Petr Pavel will be the next president of the Czech Republic. He won 58% of the vote in the second round of the presidential election this weekend, defeating former PM Andrej Babis, who took 42%, losing by over 950,000 votes.
Turnout for the election was over 70%, a record since the introduction of direct elections for the presidency.
Pavel thanked all voters who had come to the elections, and said they have shown that they respect democracy.
“I cannot see defeated and winning voters,” he said, after being elected president.
The values of truth, dignity and respect have won in the presidential elections, Pavel stressed, adding that in the office, he would like to persuade all citizens to return to them.
Former prime minister Andrej Babis (ANO) conceded the election and congratulated Pavel on his victory.
Babis said he hoped Pavel would be a president for all citizens and fight for Czech interests. He called on his supporters to accept his defeat.
The new president-elect will take his oath before Senate chairman Milos Vystrcil (ODS) at Prague Castle, the president’s seat, on 9 March, lower house chair Market Pekarova Adamova (TOP 09) announced today.
Under the constitution of the Czech Republic, the new president assumes the post by taking the presidential oath to the Senate head at a joint session of both houses of parliament.
