Czech election: Milos Zeman wins the battle of ideas

Ultimately the distinction between victory and defeat become simply one hundred fifty,000 votes, a margin re-elected czech president milos zeman described as "incredibly" close.

The shouts of "lengthy live zeman!" echoed via the corridors of the as an alternative drab pinnacle motel, the president's election headquarters in prague's grey southern suburbs, as his supporters clapped wildly.

"this is my remaining victory," said the seventy three-year-old. He turned into flanked by his wife, daughter, close aides and numerous politicians, inclusive of tomio okamura, chief of the a ways-proper spd birthday celebration.

Mr okamura become a key ally in mr zeman's ideological struggle in opposition to what he sees as the creeping islamisation of europe.

"in my subsequent term i need to be less smug and more humble," he advised the crowd, including that folks that disliked him have been unlikely to exchange their minds.

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Instead, he said he would fight for what he called "lively citizenship", a extra involvement of regular human beings in influencing politics and society.

Zeman beats drahos to win 2nd term
The politically wrong president dividing a nation
He said he had come to the conclusion that "a few reporters and politicians" possessed notably decrease intelligence than "normal people".

That is why many people - which include mr zeman himself - continue to make comparisons with us president donald trump.

Across town, within the equally drab congress centre that served as jiri drahos' headquarters, the surroundings became celebratory instead of funereal. There has been sustained applause as jiri drahos took to the level.

"we didn't win," he said. "but we aren't defeated.""the strength created throughout this campaign will live on," he delivered. There has been more applause, earlier than he explained that he had no plans to retreat from public lifestyles.

"i will carry on," he told the crowd. Reporters without delay commenced questioning what exactly that intended.

May want to there be another election earlier than milos zeman's five years is up? The media could be looking his public appearances carefully.

Now not anybody is sure the in poor health president - who suffers from type-2 diabetes and walks with trouble - is physically able to completing his mandate.

Later, mr drahos instructed the bbc it changed into too quickly to invest whether or not he may locate himself contesting the post of president once more.

However he become honestly now not ruling whatever out, together with entering parliament.

So turned into it proper to explain this election as a war of ideas among populism and elitism, among authoritarianism and liberal democracy, among east and west?

"i think what we witnessed turned into a contest between the populist, anti-status quo leanings of the large part of the populace with the relaxation of society," stated michael zantovsky, former czech ambassador to london and a close aide of the overdue ex-president vaclav havel.

"and what is very funny in a way is that the chief of the anti-established order camp became honestly the chief of the established order - the president."