Czech republic votes elect president

Czech Republic Opens Polls for Presidential Election

The Czech Republic is set to elect its new president as polls open on Friday, with nine candidates vying for the position. This marks the second instance in the nation’s history where a direct presidential vote is being conducted by its citizens.

The initial round of voting will take place on January 12th and 13th. If no candidate secures a majority, a subsequent round will be held on January 26th and 27th, featuring the top two contenders.

To be eligible, candidates needed endorsements from 50,000 citizens, 20 Deputies, or 10 Senators. Out of 19 applications, only nine met the criteria:

1. Mirek Topolánek: The ex-Prime Minister and former Civic Democratic Party leader is backed by 10 Senators, the Civic Democratic Party, and the Freeholder Party of the Czech Republic.
2. Michal Horáček: Running as an independent, Horáček, under the banner “We can do better,” secured 86,940 public signatures.
3. Pavel Fischer: The former Czech Ambassador to France, supported by 17 senators from various parties, is also an independent candidate.
4. Jiří Hynek: The Association for Weapons and Defense Industry’s chairman, and co-founder of the Realists party in 2016, is backed by 29 parliament members.
5. Petr Hannig: Representing the Party of Common Sense, Hannig, an Academy of Performing Arts graduate, has 29 parliamentary signatures.
6. Vratislav Kulhánek: The ex-CEO of Škoda Auto received his nomination from the Civic Democratic Alliance, backed by 23 lower house members.
7. Miloš Zeman: The incumbent President seeks re-election for a second term, with 103,817 public signatures.
8. Marek Hilšer: The youngest contender, a political activist and lecturer, runs independently with support from 11 senators.
9. Jiří Drahoš: Recognized as a primary competitor, the Czech Academy of Sciences’ President, though independent, is endorsed by two parties and has 141,234 public signatures.