Defeat of former PM Andrej Babiš hailed as victory for liberal democracy over oligarchic populism
Petr Pavel, a retired general and former senior Nato commander, has swept to the Czech presidency with a landslide election victory over the former prime minister Andrej Babiš in what supporters immediately hailed as a victory for liberal democracy over oligarchic populism.
With about 88% of the vote counted, Pavel was ahead by 57% to 42.96%, a difference of nearly 700,000 votes nationwide, leaving his opponent with an insurmountable deficit.
