Robbing Peter to Pay Paul: Not the New Czech President’s Style

While that may have attracted some additional support from a sizable but fragmented anti-establishment and extremist minority that has emerged in the country, it also appeared to help mobilise the liberal democratic part of the electorate. The resulting turnout of over 70 per cent was a record for the second round of the election.

Behind Pavel's campaign slogan of "order and stability", a majority of the country showed their determination to oust the populist politics first flirted with by former Czech president Vaclav Klaus, and continued by successor Milos Zeman and Babis - for the meantime at least.

People walk past election posters of presidential candidate Petr Pavel, in Prague, Czech Republic, 26 January 2023. The poster says: "Enough of the chaos, I'll give you advice and dignity." EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK Exit stage left

The president of the Czech Republic has few executive powers, save for making formal appointments to the government, constitutional court and central bank. Yet Milos Zeman, the cantankerous populist whose second and final term in Prague Castle will end on March 8, has spent the past decade testing the boundaries of the post, thanks to a loosely written constitution.

He has meddled with the makeup of governments and in particular muddied Czechia's foreign policy. His efforts to forge closer ties with Russia and China in spite of official government lines stressing EU and NATO membership as cornerstones have often helped confuse Western allies.

By contrast, Pavel, a former head of the Czech Army and NATO's Military Committee, is expected to realign the presidency with Prime Minister Petr Fiala's government, which has vowed to reject the populism of Babis - a billionaire who served a scandal-plagued term as...