Putin Ally Zeman Wins Second Term as Czech President
- Czech incumbent beats political novice Drahos in runoff ballot
- Zeman’s winning campaign linked Muslim refugees with terrorism
Milos Zeman, Czech president.
Photographer: Bartek SadowskiThis article is for subscribers only.
Czech President Milos Zeman, an ardent supporter of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, won a second term in an election victory after warning voters that sheltering Muslim immigrants could lead to terrorist attacks.
Zeman, 73, who was also an early fan of U.S. President Donald Trump, took 51.4 percent of votes in a two-day ballot that ended Saturday, according results published by the Statistics Office. His challenger for the largely ceremonial post, 68-year-old chemistry professor Jiri Drahos, pledged to anchor the nation of 10.6 million more firmly in the European Union and NATO. He conceded after getting 48.6 percent.