Incumbent Zeman respects Senate chair’s right to set presidential vote date

Incumbent Milos Zeman says he fully respects the right of Senate speaker Milan Štěch to set January 12 and 13 as the dates for the first round of presidential elections. Communicating through a spokesperson, Mr. Zeman said he himself had announced dates for October’s general elections with time to spare.

Another candidate for head of state, scientist Jiří Drahoš, said that the dates were important for the public but would not greatly impact his team’s work. A third nominee, lyricist and businessman Michal Horáček, said he had fulfilled all the legal requirements for his campaign. Mr. Drahoš is the bookmakers’ favourite for the vote, which will see a second round on the third weekend of January.