Czech President Wins New Term in Boon to Euroskeptic Forces
- Zeman is one of EU’s strongest allies of Russian leader Putin
- Zeman’s win extends alliance with billionaire Premier Babis
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Czech President Milos Zeman, an ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, won a second term after warning voters that sheltering Muslim immigrants would bring terrorism to a country divided over its place in the European Union.
Zeman, who at 73 was also an early fan of U.S. President Donald Trump, won a weekend runoff for the largely ceremonial post against chemistry professor Jiri Drahos, who campaigned for closer relations with the EU and NATO. The outcome extends an alliance between Zeman and billionaire Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who shares his opposition to accepting refugees and deeper integration with the world’s largest trading bloc.