Václav Klaus elected president for a second term

In a crucial third round of voting at Prague Castle on Friday night President Václav Klaus won a second term in office. Ian Willoughby has been following developments and talks to us now from the castle.

Václav Klaus, photo: CTK

Ian, can you confirm that Václav Klaus has won the election?

“I can’t completely confirm because as yet it hasn’t been officially confirmed by the chairman of this joint session of the Czech Parliament but all signs point to Václav Klaus having won the election with 141 votes. Inside the Spanish Hall here at Prague Castle he’s being congratulated. There is a real festive atmosphere, at least among his side of the house so to speak - the people who voted for him from his own Civic Democrats, and other legislators - and I think we can assume that Václav Klaus has been reelected.

“Perhaps you can hear in the background a gong. That’s the gong for a parliamentary session, at which the chairman Miloslav Vlček will announce that Václav Klaus has won.”

Can you tell me a bit about the events surrounding Václav Klaus’s reelection?

Photo: CTK

“Well it has been quite a saga. The first election was last weekend, it took two days. Today’s election went a lot more smoothly, especially at the very end, when it went very smoothly and quickly. There were all kinds of threats and allegations and fighting between the parties, but at the end of the day Václav Klaus has been reelected for another five years. He will serve now until 2013.”

What’s the scene around you right now at the castle?

“Everyone is gathered by the TV here where I am in the corridor outside the Spanish Hall to hear the confirmation and as I say inside there was a really festive mood on the Klaus side of the house and I think people will be here for quite a while after the confirmation. And you can now hear in the background the actual announcement of Václav Klaus’s victory.”