The Czech Republic is holding an election for the successor of a divisive president who has challenged the European Union’s values.
The central European nation of more than 10 million is choosing its fourth head of state since the fall of Communism over three decades ago. The winner will take over from Milos Zeman, who stood out among European leaders as a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin until the latter invaded Ukraine and a promoter of closer ties with China.
None of the leading candidates for the mostly ceremonial position is likely to receive more than half of the votes in the first round of balloting, which take place on Friday and Saturday.
Two of the top three candidates — billionaire ex-Prime Minister Andrej Babis, retired General Petr Pavel and former university President Danuse Nerudova — will most likely advance to the run-off two weeks later.
The vote is a chance for Babis, a chemicals, agriculture and media magnate who leads the strongest opposition party, to return to a top post following his defeat in the 2021 parliamentary elections. He is pledging to become a counterbalance to the government that he says isn’t doing enough to help people and businesses cope with the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades.
As Zeman’s long-time ally, Babis rose to power by deriding traditional politicians as corrupt and incompetent and later clashed with the E.U. over conflict-of-interest accusations regarding his companies. He embraced an anti-immigration agenda and forged close ties with Hungarian nationalist leader Viktor Orban, while also touting friendly relations with French President Emmanuel Macron.
If he were to become president, he may not be as pro-Russian and pro-Chinese as Zeman has been for most of his time in office. But his past dealings and controversies, as well as his friendship with Orban, could weigh on his perceptions abroad. That wouldn’t be the case with Nerudova or Pavel, who formerly chaired the NATO Military Committee and led the Czech military, said Lubomir Kopecek, a political scientist at Masaryk University in Brno.
“Babis would definitely keep questioning the degree of Czech support for Ukraine,” Kopecek said. “Foreign policy is set by the government, but Babis could muddle its perceptions abroad with contrarian rhetoric, targeted at his voters at home.”
The president has limited powers, with key executive authority held by the government in a parliamentary system. But the head of state has a say in the creation of the cabinet, leads the military, picks central bankers and appoints judges. Zeman has repeatedly bent constitutional conventions to carve out more powers for himself.
Pavel and Nerudova, who is seeking to become the first female Czech president, have been endorsed by the ruling parties and promised a less confrontational stance toward the government.
Both target similar voter groups by promoting LGBTQ rights, including same-sex marriage and child adoption by gay couples. They also advocate adopting the euro, which the Czech political establishment traditionally sees it as disadvantageous for the open, $300 billion economy.
With the Czech Republic one of the most active supporters of Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression, the war has featured among top campaign themes.
Pavel and Nerudova, the former head of Mendel University in Brno, both back continued support for Ukraine as well as unequivocal pro-Western foreign policy.
Babis said last month that “helping Ukraine is all right, but now it’s time to help our people.”
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(Bloomberg News writers Deana Kjuka and Krystof Chamonikolas contributed to this report.)
