Pavel to face Babiš for president after close result in first round

Former Czech Army Petr Pavel has won the most votes in the first round of elections to choose the next president of Czechia.

Mr. Pavel (on 35.40 percent) finished just ahead of ANO leader and ex-prime minister Andrej Babiš (34.99 percent) and the two will now face one another in a second round run-off in two weeks’ time.

Economist Danuše Nerudová, who had also been considered one of the frontrunners in pre-election polling, came some way behind in third (13.93 percent) in Saturday's vote count.

Previous polls suggested that either Mr. Pavel or Ms. Nerudová would defeat Mr. Babiš in a run-off for the post of head of state.

The winner of the second round, which takes place on January 27 and 28, will succeed incumbent Miloš Zeman and become the fourth president of Czechia.

Voter turnout was a record high for a presidential election, at 68 percent.