New Czech President-Elect

The run-off vote for the 1st direct presidential election is complete and Czech Republic has a new president.  Miloš Zeman took 54.18% of the vote to beat Karel Schwarzenberg's 45.19%,  Polls were open Friday and Saturday and there was a 59.11% voter turnout.

President-elect Zeman will take office in March at the start of his five-year term.  The Czech president doesn't have a lot of executive power.  The president represents the ČR internationally.  After a general election, the president has the power to pick the prime minister and to make appointments to the board of the Central Bank.  The president also appoints judges to the Constitutional Court, with the approval from the Upper House of Parliament.

I think that people realized it was going to be an interesting election when Karel Schwarzenberg's own vote was thrown out because he didn't cast his ballot properly.

I had to laugh when I saw what one of my mates wrote as his Facebook status...

"New President has been elected - luckily it was the hard drinking chain smoking ex commie that was as opposed to the gout ridden, geriatric Austrian ;) Hurrah for democracy in ze Ost bloc!"