Ex-general Petr Pavel has received any other gritty marketing campaign — this time on the poll field.
The bearded 61-year-old, a embellished veteran who took section in a high-stakes peacekeeping undertaking within the Balkans and represented his nation as a top-tier NATO overall, used to be voted Czech president on Saturday, beating billionaire ex-prime minister Andrej Babiš.
With the ballots from 97% of virtually 15,000 polling stations counted via the Czech Statistics Office, Pavel had 57.8% of the vote when put next with 42.2% for Babiš.
Though Czech presidents wield little day by day energy, Pavel could have affect over overseas coverage and executive opinion, in addition to the facility to nominate high ministers, constitutional judges and central bankers.
True to his army previous, he has vowed to convey “order” to the Czech Republic, a ten million-strong EU and NATO member, hammered via report inflation and financial turmoil because of the Ukraine conflict.
“I can’t ignore the fact that people here increasingly feel chaos, disorder and uncertainty. That the state has somehow ceased to function,” Pavel mentioned on his marketing campaign site.
“We need to change this,” he added. “We need to play by the rules, which will be valid for everyone alike. We need a general sweep.”
From Communist to conflict hero
Following in his father’s footsteps, Pavel underwent an army schooling in former Czechoslovakia, which used to be then dominated via Moscow-backed communists.
He joined the Communist Party, like his billionaire rival Babiš, and shortly rose during the military ranks, learning to transform an intelligence agent for the oppressive regime.
Critics fault him for his communist previous, regardless that Pavel has defended himself via announcing celebration club used to be “normal” in his circle of relatives and referred to as it a “mistake”.
When the Iron Curtain crumbled in 1989, Pavel chucked out his celebration ID however went forward with the intelligence route.
Amid the struggle within the former Yugoslavia, Pavel — skilled as an elite paratrooper and keeping the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on the time — helped evacuate French troops caught in the middle of struggle between Croats and ethnic Serb paramilitaries in Croatia, incomes him the French Military Cross for bravery.
“We got into several tense situations and he always managed them with deliberation and calm,” mentioned retired Czech overall Aleš Opata, who served with Pavel.
He later studied at army coaching colleges in Britain, gaining a grasp’s from King’s College London.
After his nation joined NATO in 1999, Pavel quickly climbed during the alliance’s ranks, changing into its peak army respectable in 2015.
With a chest stuffed with decorations, he retired in 2018.
What are his political beliefs?
Pavel ran as an unbiased and used to be the most powerful of the 3 applicants sponsored via the liberal-conservative coalition SPOLU of now-former President Miloš Zeman.
He has argued for higher redistribution of wealth and bigger taxation of the wealthy whilst additionally supporting innovative insurance policies on problems corresponding to same-sex marriage and euthanasia.
Positioning himself as a counterweight to populism, Pavel anchors the Czech Republic in NATO and needs to align his nation with the European Union.
“The main issue at stake is whether chaos and populism will continue to rein or we return to observing rules… and we will be a reliable country for our allies,” he mentioned after narrowly successful the primary election spherical.
A staunch supporter of Ukraine, Pavel’s political opponents have alleged he would drag the rustic right into a conflict with Russia.
“I do know what conflict is set and I without a doubt do not want it on any person,” mentioned Pavel. “The first thing I would do is try to keep the country as far away from war as possible.”
Often carrying denims and a leather-based jacket, Pavel is a polyglot, talking Czech, English, French and Russian, and loves motorcycling.
He holds a hid elevate licence, permitting him to hold a firearm, and he’s married to a fellow soldier, Eva Pavlová.
