Poll: retired army general Pavel would win first round of presidential election

Former Czech Army officer and NATO official Petr Pavel would take the most votes in the first round of voting for a new president next January, suggests a new Median poll. Mr Pavel would receive 24 percent of the vote, the survey indicates, ahead of the ANO leader Andrej Babiš with 23.5 percent.

It is the first time since last September that Mr Pavel placed ahead of the former prime minister, who has not yet declared whether he will run for office. Although the difference is within the margin of statistical error, it shows that Mr Pavel’s preferences are steadily increasing.

The new survey, carried out by Median in September, puts economist Danuše Nerudová in third place in the first round, with 10 percent, followed by senator Pavel Fischer with eight percent of the vote.