Billionaire Andrej Babis and retired NATO general Petr Pavel have come in first and second place in the first round of the Czech presidential elections. Babis received 35% of the vote and Pavel 35.39%, while economist Danuse Nerudova came in third place with 13.92%.

The two will now face each other in a runoff in two weeks, since no candidate achieved a majority of votes in the first round. Babis was acquitted of fraud charges in a $2 million case involving European Union subsidies on Monday, although the prosecution can still appeal. Despite a number of scandals, Babis’ support remains strong, particularly among older voters.

Article by Prague Forum