Czechs have chosen the outspoken Milos Zeman, an ex-premier, as their new president in runoff of the EU republic’s first direct election.
Zemen on Saturday beat opposition candidate, Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, with a 54,8 percent win with almost all the votes counted.
“Milos Zeman has won, I acknowledge this, and I hope he will manage to be the president of all Czech people,” Schwarzenberg, who garnered 45,17 percent, of the votes, conceded as the final results rolled in Saturday.
His victory ends a decade under strident eurosceptic outgoing 71-year-old President Vaclav Klaus, with 68-year-old Zeman, having a decidedly Europe-friendly approach.
In 1998-2002, Zeman’s leftist government helped negotiate his country’s 2004 EU accession and Zeman is now a self-described “euro-federalist”.
“I promise that as a president elected in a direct vote by citizens, I will do my best to be the voice of all citizens,” Zeman said in his victory speech at a Prague hotel, as overjoyed supporters chanted “Long live Zeman”.
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