PRAGUE: Former army chief and high Nato official Petr Pavel won the Czech Republic’s presidential election on Saturday, pledging to keep the country firmly anchored in the West and bridge society’s political differences.

Pavel, a 61-year-old retired general running for office for the first time, won 58.3 per cent of the vote after all voting districts reported final results, defeating billionaire ex-premier Andrej Babis, a dominant but polarising force in Czech politics for a decade.

Pavel, a social liberal who had campaigned as an independent and gained the backing of the centre-right government, conveyed a message of unity when addressing his supporters and journalists at a Prague concert venue on Saturday as results showed he had won.

“Values such as truth, dignity, respect and humility won,” he said.

“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 the Prague Castle and our politics.”

Pavel has also fully backed continued support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s invasion.Czech presidents do not have many day-to-day duties, but they pick prime ministers and central bank heads, have a say in foreign policy, are powerful opinion makers, and can push the government on policies.

Pavel will take office in March, replacing outgoing Milos Zeman, a divisive figure himself during his two terms in office over the past decade who had backed Babis as his successor.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2023