World News
Record turnout as Pavel wins Czech presidential elections
Retired general Petr Pavel received a million votes more than his opponent Andrej Babis to win the presidential election in the Czech Republic.
There was a record voter turnout in the second round of the elections, with more than 70 percent of the people exercising their right to vote.
In Prague, Pavel won 76 percent of the vote, compared to 58 percent nationally. Although he received strong support in the capital, Babis proved more popular in border regions, especially in the Northwest and Northeast.
A man from Prague said: “I am very proud to be Czech now that Mr. Pavel becomes President of the Czech Republic. This is a special moment.”
In Znojmo, a town close to the border with Austria, Babis won by a small margin.
A voter there said the results showed that Babis is popular in smaller communities like his.
Many Czechs wonder if former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, a billionaire businessman, will continue to play an active role in the country’s politics.
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