Retired Army General Petr Pavel wins Czech Republic's presidential election

Retired Army General Petr Pavel has defeated populist billionaire Andrej Babis in a runoff election for president of the Czech Republic. Pavel's victory was a landslide as he captured 58% of the vote in an election that saw record-high turnout.

Pavel is a former NATO Military Committee chairman and ran a campaign emphasizing the Czech Republic's membership in NATO and the European Union.

The Czech Republic is also firmly in support of Ukraine in its war against the Russian invasion.

Pavel won by such a large margin in large part due to his appeal to both left and right voters. Pavel ran on a campaign emphasizing unity and bridging the social gaps that exist within the Czech Republic.

The new president intends to swing the Czech Republic away from Russia and China in contrast to his predecessor Milos Zeman, who has been the president over the past two terms.

For now, Ukraine has a strong ally in the Czech Republic, while Russia and China have lost a potential ally in Europe.