ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
(ANSA-AFP) - PRAGUE, JAN 26 - A retired NATO general leads a
billionaire ex-premier going into the Czech presidential run-off
that starts Friday, following an election campaign that saw
Russia's war in Ukraine take centre stage. Wealthy entrepreneur
and former prime minister Andrej Babis has sought to woo voters
nervous of a spillover from the conflict by implying his
opponent -- as a military man -- could drag the Czech Republic
into the war. The populist lawmaker also said he would not send
troops to Poland or the Baltics to help them under NATO's
collective defence -- comments he later walked back after
raising eyebrows abroad. Babis looks set to lose out to Petr
Pavel, according to the latest opinion polls, after the former
NATO general won over supporters of several first-round
candidates. "Turnout will be key. The question is whether Babis
will manage to demobilise a part of Pavel's voters," said Otto
Eibl, an analyst at Masaryk University. "It doesn't seem likely
really because Babis polarises society and many people will want
to stop him," he told AFP. The winner of the run-off, which ends
Saturday, will replace Milos Zeman, an outspoken and divisive
politician who nursed close ties with Moscow before making a
U-turn when Russia invaded Ukraine. The new head of state will
face record inflation in the central European EU and NATO member
of 10.5 million people, as well as bulging public finance
deficits related to the war in Ukraine. While the role is
largely ceremonial, the president names the government, picks
the central bank governor and constitutional judges, and serves
as top commander of the armed forces. (ANSA-AFP).
