Why Czechia Elected an Army General as President

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Over the weekend, the Czech Republic went to the polls to elect their next President, opting for retired general Petr Pavel over their controversial former PM Andrej Babis. So in this video, we break down this election and what this means for the country.
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[@petrsmital7340]

It might be worth mentioning that "ANO" is not an abbreviation. It's just the word for "Yes". Which is actually a good description of the party's ideology - just say yes to anything that'll bring votes, no matter whether it makes sense or not.

[@LevisH21]

lol that's hilarious

[@patrikbascik686]

It is short for Akce Nespokojených Občanů or at least was ment to be.

[@MartinKyral]

@@patrikbascik686 Aliance

[@terezac5583]

sounds about right😂

[@DeathragesChannel]

Even though it's slogan "ANO, bude líp" ("YES, thins will be better"), it is an abreviation of "Akce Nespokojených Občanů" ("Action of Dissatisifed Citizens").

[@PetrKork]

My country is on TLDR news! 🤩 On a serious note tho: this vote was all about beating populism, and we've won!

[@ai-d2121]

Well done.

[@paulochon7692]

Respect from France

[@adamsojka3345]

@@paulochon7692 macron volá bidenovi

[@296jacqi]

Your president appears to be a complete badass. I’ve seen the confidence, observed the strut, and heard his words. I like this man. Well done!

[@MartinKyral]

Not a first time, though :)

[@sirien.neiris]

Few minor details for those interested in Czech politics: - ANO is pronounced as a whole word - it literally means "YES". (There is some meaning behind the "abbreviation", but nobody knows it and it was created to spell as "ANO" in the first place anyway - exactly like "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division = SHIELD" in Marvel) - There is high scepticism regarding "death threats" to Babiš among Czech public. a) the circumstances and timing are odd, b) it is not the first time such threat was claimed shortly before elections important for Babiš, exactly in about right time before the election to cause a scandal and motivate his electorate and it suspiciously matches Babiš's own election rhetoric, c) it is not Czech style nor culture, especially since Babiš's opposition is from the more calm part of Czech society (and Czech society is in general quite peaceful and chilled out, actually). Czech internet was full of jokes/memes on Babiš himself sending a bullet to his wife for a few days - Babiš is very unlikely to leave politics; he just plays into his long term "I'm not a politician" narrative, he made such claims before (as well as "I'm never going to run for a president, it is not a job for me"), always completely empty - Babiš didn't cancel his public appearances because of threats, but because Pavel outperformed him on this stage - Czech internet and media were full of comparison images with Babiš meetings with few people around and Pavel meetings (in Babiš "stronghold" cities and towns) where his supporters didn't fit into a town square.

[@FuFightersStudio]

Also there is the whole thing where he found a bullet while taking a stroll and thought it was left there as a death threat - turns out someone was hunting in the forest and dropped it.

[@janvalek4192]

Víme, co znamená zkratka ANO - Akce nespokojených občanů. Ještě před založením hnutí experimentoval s různými verzemi tohoto názvu.

[@Neonflame]

ANO is pretty spellable, if you know how to spell ANNO (the game)

[@neoqwerty]

Fun fact: it's called a "backronym" in english when the spelling is picked first and then the abbreviation is chosen. My favorite is a real world one from the US military: MAGIC CARPET, "Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies", basically the stuff that helps jet pilots land on aircraft carriers. I can only hope whoever worked on that didn't pull a muscle with all that reaching. For all of the rest, thank you for the info! Puts a lot more context on things.

[@sirien.neiris]

@@neoqwerty lol, nice, thanks, I didn't know that - and I'm glad I do now :D (One always wonders - why even bother with "real" name and not just name it as you want it...)

[@ardstota]

You’re how I get international news. As an American, I would never have heard of this through American media, even though Czechia is an American ally(as part of NATO).

[@miroslavantonin9354]

Well we are small country and really nothing "intresting" is happen here (from US medias POV) so i am not shokced...We are not big player like France,UK or Germany in political spectrum of Europe

[@x.dextrarx.3430]

cuz czechia is just puppet that noone care about

[@MentalOutlvl6]

@@miroslavantonin9354 I think italy is pretty big as well as Poland you hear about them a lot on the news

[@samuela-aegisdottir]

This is why I watch TLDR. I get the news I cant get in our Czech mainstream media.

[@samuela-aegisdottir]

@@miroslavantonin9354 The Vrbětice attack was a pretty important news, even from international perspective, I think. Russian spies (the same as in Salisbury attack) blow up a ammonution storage in Czechia and the explosion killed two people. From an American perspective, that is a Russian attack on NATO ally.

[@JoffesThoughts]

I think running as the pro-Russian candidate, in Czechia of all places, in 2023 might have been a mistake.

[@baph0met]

No candidate was pro Russia, maybe Jaroslav Bašta, and that guy didn't even get 1% if I recall correctly.

[@moravianlion3108]

If you refer to Babis, he's only pro-Babis, nothing else.

[@JoffesThoughts]

@@baph0met In a two way election, so long as politicians differentiate themselves on a major issue, they will usually be perceived as pro or anti on that issue. Obviously Babis wouldn't have sent troops or weapons to help Russia, but within the context of the Czech election he was the pro-Russian candidate.

[@kennykentus2919]

It was nearly 60/40 afterall

[@dawyd_cz1465]

@@baph0met he got 4%

[@Menape]

I'll pour up an Czech beer for Pavel and Czechia. Cheers from Sweden.

[@philipkoene5345]

I recommend Gambrinus!

[@josefruzicka9624]

@@philipkoene5345 Gambrinus is like grandmapee

[@Pidalin]

@@philipkoene5345 you mean GambriHNUS

[@x.dextrarx.3430]

what kind of czech beer? its really important

[@drakvaclav826]

@@philipkoene5345 I'd recommend Pilsner Urquell instead ;)

[@theluke4982]

I'm fron Czechia and i want to say that you missed the fact of Babiš also being formerly in the komunist party. But the diference between Babiš and Pavel is that Pavel was a young student afected by propaganda only joining becouse it was normal for anyone who wanted to achive something in the military and Babiš was in his 30s and an STB agent (it was like czech comunist version of KGB or FBI)

[@Bobahat]

He didn't miss it. He literally mentioned it in the video.

[@CanYouSeeItAberNicht]

@@Bobahat no, he didnt mention it.

[@Pidalin]

STB was more like CIA, FBI mostly doesn't torture people, I hope 😀

[@petrskupa6292]

Like Czech KGB or Czech GRU

[@Bobahat]

@@CanYouSeeItAberNicht Oh, you're right. I read it wrong. I thought OP was talking about the general, not Babis. My bad.

[@filiptriska5542]

Babiš even recommended his voters, who are mostly from the lower economic class to bet on him in the second round, when the odds on his win on one of our major betting sites were 12:1. Many of them took his advice and lost money of course. Not to mention, that he literally said, that if Pavel won, him and the government would institute a totalitarian regime. And also that we would have to go to war because of him. Meanwhile Pavel led a serious, calm and decent campaign, without vicious attacks on opponents and painting himself as a martyr (which is basically all Babiš does). Really glad, that I don't have to be embarrassed by our president for once.

[@davidmukarovsky2044]

Correction: The candidate for the populist SPD came at the 5th place. The 4th place was occupied by Pavel Fischer, a centrist candidate who got 6,75% and supported Petr Pavel in the second round. EDIT: changed "far-right" to "populist", "right-wing" to "centrist"

[@LineckeKolecko69]

drz picu

[@prett3364]

Yeah Pavel Fisher would have been a better candidate for me, but in the second round I voted for pro West candidade instead of pro everything coward xdd

[@zbynekurbanek3345]

Stopped watching when he called SPD far-right... this guy knows absolutely nothing about politics. Has zero legitimacy to be a narrator of anything. SPD voters are the closest to Zeman voters... SPD party is super close to Zeman fan party SPO and they very very often run together in elections. The stupid narrator himself called Milos Zeman left wing populist. Why SPD far-right then? Propaganda much? Shameful. You shouldnt parrot such nonsense too. Also... Mr Basta - the SPD presidential candidate - was a social democratic minister in Zeman's government.

[@zeral1317]

I wouldn't say he's right-wing, he's just religious, conservative, but also really pro-EU and NATO. I feel like calling him right-wing is too far-fetched. He helped Pavel a lot.

[@vaclavnutil2646]

i wouldnt call fisher right wing, maybe on the eu scale, but for czech politics hes more of a centrist

[@Ah0jtadyHanka]

Fun Fact: Zuzana Čaputová (Slovak President) met Petr Pavel on a stage as an unexpected visitor after about an hour the results were legit for Pavel. I loved that moment. It just showed the unity of Czechia and Slovakia.. And after that, they agreed on visiting Ukraine together as soon as possible. 😍

[@celtspeaksgoth7251]

what a crock.

[@sonneh86]

Are you hinting you guys are getting back together? ;)

[@sirjoesphjoestar8361]

@@sonneh86 i hope not, it wouldnt make sense nowadays

[@janpicek2]

besties 💅

[@FuFightersStudio]

@@sonneh86 hopefully not - we make better neighbours than partners. Working closely together within EU is the ideal for both of us. I expect we will only ever "unite" if EU becomes more centralized.

[@moravianlion3108]

It was such a relief for so many, when Pavel won... For 20 years, most of today's Pavel voters had to cringe to various political embarrassments from Klaus and Zeman (former presidents, both had 2 terms). Then Babis arrived into the scene around 2011, saying "he didn't want to be in the politics in the first place". Denying his own statements from various TV interviews all the time. Babis kind of reminds me of Boris Johnson. Same vibe, same empty promises, U turns, lies, completely out of touch with the regular men... It's beyond me he's still relevant in our politics. But it seems tide is changing and so is our demographics. Old commie-like voters are departing and those dumb enough not to see through Babis are getting also slowly replaced by a little more educated and self aware youth. Fingers crossed.

[@captainalex157]

blame tho old farts for Babis, they love populists, same here in Austria.

[@baph0met]

Klaus was our best president ever, you know nothing

[@SlavicZde]

Idk man young generation is def not selfaware. And the woke idiots in prague and Brno won't help much. Sad that we had to choose from evil and Tiny bit less evil. Bolshevik vs bolshevik. Most of the youth is lost, brainwashed raised by social média and the internet...

[@endless2239]

@@baph0met the best president ever? lmao, you only had 3 president so far, that's not an achievement dude wtf.

[@baph0met]

@@SlavicZde I agree on the Bolshevik part, but not cause of their past but cause their beliefs are just plainly socialist

[@tnickknight]

Congratulations to Czech, for taking out the trash 👍🇱🇹

[@Sergiovision]

Czechia

[@johnhlavacka2481]

Trash out, trash in. Any change in view? Possible war with Russia? No, thanx!

[@tnickknight]

@@johnhlavacka2481 Czech is only free because better and braver people than you helped.

[@johnhlavacka2481]

@@tnickknight Sure not!

[@tnickknight]

@@johnhlavacka2481 wow, so you don't even know basic history. Yet you still post. Shocker 😂

[@jcym9058]

Love Czechia, love Slovakia, love their love for each other 🥰

[@vkdrk]

We are brothers 🙃

[@rn7763]

love their women, too😜

[@foxival5150]

Hello from Slovakia 🇸🇰

[@yllbardh]

excuse me, but why did they split up then?

[@zdenekhostasa5726]

We are like brothers, express love and disgust with each other in equal measure, all in good spirits

[@Makimars]

It's also interesting to note that the Slovak president visited Pavel during the second round of election to see him win and that his first international calls after election were to Ukraine and Taiwan.

[@lamichka]

And CHINA was so pissed off. Hillarious. :D

[@kkarx]

Yeah they are both western puppets. Pavel's hero is the corrupted war monger Zelensky. No surprise there either.

[@HoretzYT]

because the slovakian president is a equally same nato warmonger/nato slave, thats why she ran to congratulate her slave colleague

[@Django45]

Taiwan called him, many people cite it wrongly and as a mistake of Pavel to do that without being the lawful president yet. He only answered.

[@vlads.3192]

@@lamichka Yop, at this point it is absolutely amazing to "piss off" China that is yet neutral to UA invasion, yet we provoke it like this for no reason...

[@__Aurora__]

Such a dignified, calm and a true badass president for the Czech Republic! Petr Pavel is the type of a leader that every country in former Eastern Europe needs. A dignified, calm and intelligent president after years of unscrupulous populist pro-Russia types like Babiš, Zeman, Vučić, Orban, etc. Congratulations to the Czech people!

[@MrValarMorgoth]

not just eastern europe, western europe needs strong leader as well

[@SlavicZde]

I mean babis and Zeman werent that bad ať the beginning. I hate how we have almost no candidates in the middle just pro-western puppets or pro-russian puppets

[@__Aurora__]

@@SlavicZde I never liked Zeman or Babiš because they were too aggressive and pro-Russia for my taste. There is nothing I despise more than aggressive populists with empty words. Petr Pavel is the ultimate opposite of the regular Eastern European aggressive type (my heritage is Slavic btw) and it’s so refreshing with such a calm, dignified and intelligent gentleman.

[@__Aurora__]

@@MrValarMorgoth Absolutely! 👌👏

[@tlk889]

@@SlavicZde There is no middle along the EU-Russia-China axis, unfortunately. Czechia cannot stand on its own for long and not get gobbled up. Look at Ukraine, a country 4 times the population and many times time the size, and what it got from following its own path. From these two choices, the EU has always been the better one, even if it can be a bureaucratic nightmare at times.

[@CrazyStarSuga]

As a Czech I felt like we were kind of embarassment for EU in last couple of years. When Pavel won our elections, it felt like the good old, strong Czech Republic is coming back. I am really happy that we have NATO general as a president.

[@SlavicZde]

I liked how we didn't knee down to eu and became puppets. Sad that we became pro-russian puppets tho. The west and Russia are both the same evils the west just hides it better from the general public...

[@tlk889]

The only reason we weren't talked about more was because there was Hungary and Poland to always take the crown of misdemeanor in the EU, in one way or another. Czechia hasn't thankfully gotten so far down the drain to have its democratic pillars hsaken the way it's happening in those countries 😕 To clarify - both Poland and Hungary are great countries with great people at large, but one is willing to sacrifice a bit too many democratic values for whatever ends, while the other is ravaged by a populist autocrat.

[@philipkoene5345]

Sad - yes, to some degree. Embarrassment for the EU - no. That was and still is reserved for Orban and to a lesser extent the polish piss party. But I am still very glad that Czechia - a country that I have been to many times and feel a deep connection to - is slowly turning away from populism.

[@dehydrateddarkness3565]

@@tlk889 It's not like we (as Poles) wanted the current ruling part in power. But we don't really have good options. We have PO which seems like the best choice as of now (while PiS embezzles PO just straight up stole and bribed), but are nontheless exactly the same breed of populists as PiS, essentially Republican-Democrat choice in USA, Lewica which is composed of ex-commies, hypocrites and teenagers saying Stalin was "a controversial figure... BUT" (bitch, he wasn't controversial, he was straight-up evil) Konfederacja which is a pretty standard national libertarian party + nationalists coalition that can't agree on anything besides hating everybody else and nobody knows how it formed in the first place and there is PSL which is an agrarian party, that is actually quite nice in its ideas, but they lost all credibility by almost always being a part of the ruling coalition regardless of its ideas and their post-communist legacy. Plus Poles hate the countryside. A lot.

[@tlk889]

@@dehydrateddarkness3565 I definitely see what you mean. It's not that different in Czechia tbh. For many people, TOP09 and Pirates were fresh alternatives for conservative and liberal voters respectively, but they don't seem to be able to gather enough of the electorate to make a difference one way or another. It used to be a swing of right and left-wing parties who ruled for a while, then there was a corruption scandal, and next elections the sides switched. The recent deceade has been marked by an increase in conservative vs. liberal debate and even more recently the elitism vs. populism struggle. It's so hard to find a compromise these days without enraging everyone.

[@minimodecimomeridio4534]

Vladimir P.: my plan of weakening Europe’s support for Ukraine has miserably failed, just as I intended. I remain a master strategist.

[@miguelpadeiro762]

"We love you daddy you are perfect" -His advisory and high-commanf of yes-men, who surely haven't lead him into the classic dictator God complex

[@thaipankatima658]

You'd think I'd be tired of hearing that same joke over and over. But... no. Keep'em coming.

[@miguelpadeiro762]

@DoubtingThomas It isn't like the Russians would reveal their militsry objectives on the fly to their apparent enemies And then they hit the Ukranian bump and failed to go anywhere beyond the Donbass so now who knows what their objectives are lmao...including themselves

[@Pidalin]

Putin was always a master of strategy, another few years with him and Russia will return to middle ages. 😀

[@revisit8480]

@@miguelpadeiro762 "We love you daddy you are perfect" -NATO rodslurpers The joke is: I don't have a side, but you do.

[@greferalord9125]

You've made a mistake : The candidate for SPD was 5th not 4th. Ironically, Babiš made Pavel's victory possible. I'm pretty sure it would have been closer, if he wasn't a liar and an idiot. What he said in an interview 10 years ago was legit recited to him and he denied it and called it manipulation. He tried to use Pavel's communist past as a weapon, even though he was in it longer.

[@david2057]

I also noticed this mistake. 4th was the conservative catolic candidate Fisher.

[@belisarian6429]

If Babis would not be liar and idiot, would he be even Babis? :)

[@greferalord9125]

@@belisarian6429 I guess that's just how populists are.

[@starcobra2575]

@@belisarian6429 Whats funny is Babis in swedish is: Baby

[@tomasstanek2982]

@@david2057 not conservative.

[@benzincz3690]

Babiš also has a KSČ past and even as a secret police (STB) cooperator or even an agent. Also Pavels inteligence officer training started a year before and finished a year after the revolution.

[@Protont]

You know it’s nice when any country can get politician who isn’t constantly interupting and keeps denying everything that people ask them, but instead is calm and patient

[@someawesomeguy23]

Btw in Pavel's slogan "řád a klid" that you translated to "order and peace" we actually have two words for peace. One ("Mír") means the opposite of war while the other ("Klid") is more like an absence of disturbances (For example when you have loud neighbours and you just want to live in quiet peaceful place). So from the english translation it kind of looks like it's anti-war statement, which it isn't.

[@salamalkebab8377]

It's simply a bad translation, they should have used the word "calm."

[@vojtechg2462]

@@salamalkebab8377 Correct translation is law and order

[@CreiwryJay]

Like serenity

[@nemak89]

@@salamalkebab8377 Tranquility is better translation for "klid" imho.

[@fingersfinesilver]

@@vojtechg2462 I disagree - peace and quiet is a better translation as an idiom in English. Zákon a pořádek (Stejně jako televizní seriál) is law and order. Oh and no-one says "how do you do" anymore. (I've seen Czech English textbooks).

[@hynekozana3299]

It's really interesting to see an outside look on something that seems so vital important in your own country. Thanks for covering this story

[@kristynapribylova8529]

I'd just add that Nerudova supported Pavel since day one in the second round, she stated in her campaign, her socials, and many of her supporters and volunteers started to volunteering for Pavel, as Nerudova encouraged it. They also met and talked several times, which was quite a big deal for us, because we saw this kind of civilised politics many years ago.:)

[@matyassiegel1732]

I remember last time, when Drahoš was in second round, the supporters of Fischer were strongly against Drahoš and that might have been one of the reasons, why he lost. Also Fischer wasn't supporting enough and Drahoš himself was just "lesser evil" (I mean he was just weak and I doubt he had like real supporters, only voters against Zeman). But one incredible thing is that now Drahoš wasn't even candidate, because then Pavel would probably end up second and everything could have been different, because it was obvious, that Babiš had speech on winning the first round and it would help him massively.

[@zillaquazar]

Babiš said during a debate that pavel let the Soviets into the country, Pavel was 9 years old

[@evilmurlock]

He is such a great man, calm and collected. Exactly what you want for a president. I remember few year ago during the start of covid, my school, SSPS , was doing a bunch of interviews, podcast style, about the curent situation. Pavel was one of the guests and he was so great, I remember he was asked if he would run for president, and he sayd "Only if the people would want me to" and looks like they did, a lot.

[@beth12svist]

From the way he tells it, he got so many such questions from students he was giving talks to that he realised they really did want him to run for a political office. :D

[@ondrasramek8426]

Just want to say as a Czech citizen, that Babiš will propably never leave politics, he is well known for being a liar

[@katerinastiblicka205]

Exactly.

[@Django45]

He even openly stated on the news (even in parliament, I believe) that he will not resign even if he was killed or threatened to be killed- He really said a thing like that.

[@spirit006theassassin]

I am waiting for your beloved Pavel to keep his promises and do what he told.

[@ondrasramek8426]

@@spirit006theassassin well I am not saying he can not lie, but he didnt lie to until now. And that is the difference, Babiš is a known liar and Pavel not.

[@Moravian_Mf]

​@@spirit006theassassinBleh the pro-Babis people are at it again. Hate on Pavel as much as possible because he's actually a good president

[@eliseigo490]

Babiš also was in STB, he denies it, but there is strong evidence. So the argument about Pavel being in KSČ is not so valid compared with Babiš being literally agent of STB (even, when he denies it, that was other Pavel's plus, Pavel was truthful about his past, he acknowledged it).

[@koryliu]

Truthful comment. Just for the non-CZ people the StB (rough translation State Security) was a secret police, something like the Russain KGB, that terrorized the dissenting Czechoslovak populace during the communist era

[@Pidalin]

Well, when he somehow collaborated with STB, it doesn't mean he was "in STB." I also don't like Babiš, but people should speak more objective and stick to the facts, this is already exaggerated when some people say he was a member of STB or something. It could be true, I don't know, but probably not. I think that many other policians would have the same problem as Babiš, they are just lucky that their papers were destroyed in time after revolution, while Babiš was not that lucky and something surfaced after years. That's why I don't want to judge Petr Pavel for beying 3 years in communist party, I am sure that many other policians were in party too or they collaborated, Pavel is not at least hiding it that he was in the party. If secret documents were not destroyed in 1989, our today politics would look totaly different.

[@lamichka]

@@Pidalin Dude. He told HIMSELF in TELEVISION. Then he he was convicted in Slovakia. He is agent: BUREŠ. He was STB (Czech KGB) agent. And he is realy one huge piece of shit.

[@justejdm]

@@Pidalin Babiš himslef admitted to working for the STB in the past. (Show Jana Krause), plus in Slovakia they still have him classified as an STB agent, even though he tried to sue about it, the Bratislava Regional Court rejeted the case. And for Pavel, he doesn't lie about it, he admitted it, it had a valid reason and something to take into consideration is that his family (or at least his father) was communist, he grew up directly influeced by it.

[@Pidalin]

@@justejdm There were several trials, some of them said he is an agent and some of them said there is no proof for that, so I still can't know it surely. I don't know what he said in show Jana Krause, but I will try to find it. But anyway, I totaly hate Babiš just for how he speaks and I mean his tone, not his language.

[@veejayroth]

When Pavel won, for the first time in my life I felt like I just might buy a flag and display it on my house. Maybe I won't even feel all that embarrased by my country's political representation going further? What an unexpected yet highly appretiated turn of events!

[@lamichka]

same here

[@MichaelDavis-mk4me]

Don't worry, basically none of us in the international community knew your President anyway. Most of us still don't. I just learned about them today and I'm very much into international geopolitics. Still, the new President seems cool, having a strong pro-NATO ex-general as a public figure is probably going to be good for the image of the country.

[@JerrMakak]

Why so many people define their own self-worth by their state's politicians? When George Bush was ruling USA, I didn't like him. His illegal wars, torture of people without trial..and other crimes against humanity. Also Bush seemed stupid or drunk... so he was famous for so called "bushisms" (some of the best quotes). But I didn't for a second valued Americans (USA citizens) by him. Why would I look on Americans badly because they had him as president? Bush was also kind of funny.. .as Zeman.... Also there are rarely in any country good politicians. So this for me doesn't even make sense to be embarrassed for being jelaous for presidents of other countries :-)) Trump?? Biden? :D

[@siloton]

@@JerrMakak Not "badly" but one can really look on USA with pity for Trump as same as look on Czechia with pity for Zeman or Klaus. People somehow feel their representatives as a symbol to other countries. And its to some extent good, otherwise I can imagine populism would have stronger position in politics of most countries.

[@adamondracek8098]

@@JerrMakak IMO it's more about not being ashamed for our political representatives then ours self-worth. I am proud Czech, but still I feel embarrassed for some Zeman's statements and his representation.

[@yarredthomsson3945]

GIGACHAD PETR PAVEL IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR OUR COUNTRY!

[@baph0met]

No

[@296jacqi]

Gigachad, indeed.

[@SlavicZde]

Well see. Hopefully but I hope he doesn't go liberal too much

[@MattiasNilsson6]

@@baph0met why? I’m not Czech but I’m curious why some don’t like him

[@baph0met]

@@MattiasNilsson6 He's a totalitarian scumlord just like Babiš, just like 99% of politicians

[@oneilngong4609]

I'm in Cameroon but I follow this channel a lot. I wish the best for Ukraine ✊

[@iberiano-ls2rv]

Its good to know that there are people in the African continent not being alienated by the Russian fake propaganda and made up conspiracy theories. Viva Africa! 🙏

[@goufackkentsaleandrinlebel8826]

Hey, my Cameroonian brother!

[@ArpanMukhopadhyay93]

Slava Ukraini from India 😁

[@SlavicZde]

This is about czechia not ukraine...

[@iberiano-ls2rv]

@@SlavicZde it is related with Ukraine.

[@PiotrKuczaj]

Good thing Pavel won, but im still surprised that Babis got so many votes (i didnt expect him to get more than 20-25% after his scandals and Ukraine crisis comments)

[@captainalex157]

its the old people that are still brainwashed by soviet propaganda. Same here in Austria, many old people are still very antisemitic, childhood brainwashing is hard to shake off.

[@belisarian6429]

Lot of people will go with choice just because they are more familiar with it, as for scandals, I think its because there is so many of them they blend in and people therefore ignore them.

[@greengarnish1711]

Mostly old people who preferred communism during their time under such rule, they didn't know better. This win goes to show that its our time now old men, and the new generation hates autocracies to begin with.

[@tlk889]

The atmosphere here in Czechia is pretty dense. After years of left and right wing populists vying for less-informed votes, the society is strongly divided along several axes. Many people simply don't believe the accusations and scandals of Babis are true and take them for political attacks and machinations, a sentiment he obviously promotes. As for me, I'm just glad the absolute majority of people either care more for calm and pro-western politics or don't care at all for populism or pragmatism. That's some 70% of the whole population who either support west or do not care for either side (and some who don't care about the voting system...). Babis' 30% is still a lot, but considering he ran on every populist platform imaginable, it's still pretty good, I think. Plus a number of those people are simply in a bad living situation and gave in to the "I'lL mAkE yOUr lIveS BetTEr" rhetoric.

[@PatriciaGoodsonpianist]

And the communists are out of government completely. More progress.

[@arandomlanguagenerd1869]

*Fun fact* the Slovak President went to congratulate Pavel in person on election day about an hour prior to the results being certified (though the result was already clear at that point

[@kubaantonin5694]

Also she wouldnt go to babish if he succedet 😅😅😆😆

[@davidmukarovsky2044]

Correction: "Czechia" is pronounced "Czekia". It is the only correct pronunciation (check any online dictionary) and also makes sense because "Czechia" comes from the word "Czech". Besides, "Czekia" sounds much better than "Czetchia", which incidentally sounds similar to "Chechnya" (a republic in the Russian Federation) and therefore can lead to confusion.

[@Kid_Naps]

thats why the made up word "Czechia" shouldnt be used, it makes no sense and it is confusing, unnecesary and based on an old nationalist idea - exactly something Zeman would come up with. Just use Czech Republic, that is the ACTUAL name of the country. We are not calling USA "America" afterall.

[@prplt]

@@Kid_Naps but I'm too lazy to say 2 words instead of 1 😂

[@krisdaschwab912]

In Poland, it's pronounced "CHE'-he-uh and I thought that was how Chechia pronounced Czechia too. Then again, I don't spend too much time there and generally talk to basically nobody when I do.

[@Sergiovision]

@@Kid_Naps The first recorded use of Czechia was in 1541 in Latin and in 1795 in English. U.S. newspapers commonly used Czechia between 1918 and 1960 to refer to the western part of Czechoslovakia (as opposed to Slovakia, its eastern part) i.e. to the contemporary Czech Republic. Czech Republic is merely the current political formation of Czechia, which is a timeless and geographic term. All languages use their own versions of Czechia, no reason for English to be the only exception.

[@davidmukarovsky2044]

@@krisdaschwab912 In Czech we have the word "Čechy" which is pronounced similarly to what you describe in Polish, but it refers only to Bohemia, which is just one part of Czechia which in its entirety is more properly called "Česko". Although tbh I know many Czechs (or Bohemians at least) who use "Čechy" as a synonym of "Česko".

[@hamilt930]

pavel was also seen in a well-known student pub days before the election playing foosball and like.... imagine getting ur ass whooped in foosball by a presidential candidate

[@neoqwerty]

That would be the most awesome loss ever tbh

[@metalwarrior6657]

Thanks, really great summary of our country's situation!

[@hosank]

With his political career behind him, maybe Babiš could start a youtube cooking show.

[@Pidalin]

or buy a private TV channel and start his talkshow there 😀

[@veronikamajerova4564]

Nah, with his latest scandal, he can run a lottery. 😀

[@hosank]

@@veronikamajerova4564 my gawd. it's a joke (there is a famous cooking channel called Binging with Babish) ... anyway

[@beth12svist]

@@hosank I have trouble taking that channel seriously whenever I come across it, because of the name.

[@ajkasuburb5712]

Yeah he would make charming duo with Babica 😂😂😂😂😂.

[@lordbusiness-qs4ok]

5:49 The Czech SPD candidate Jaroslav Bašta for president ended up in 5th place according to Wikipedia

[@peterhr]

Yes. When watching the news about the Czech Republic, I'm always curious about what they messed up this time.

[@michalkocourek5401]

You're correct. It was: 4th - Pavel Fischer (independent) - 6.75%, 5th - Jaroslav Bašta (SPD, the far right movement) - 4.45%

[@TONAL03]

Most of his votes were just for the memes! 🤣🤣

[@vkdrk]

It's not A.N.O., It's ANO, one word (it means YES) Great video btw and I like that you pay attention to what's going on in the politics in this par of Europe, which is often overlooked by the West 👍

[@PiotrKuczaj]

TLDR spelling and pronouncing anything not English or French always hurt 😂 but as you said - not many others pay attention so better this way than not at all

[@arturobianco848]

Well with poland and hungary being lets say not making themselves to populair inside the EU. This was a very important elections and i was very relieved that the Tjech people didn't vote in a populist. And i'm from the Netherlands wich is definetly on the west side. So i'm happy it does get a bit more attention because we do need to look at the eastern side of the EU a bit more like full members something that hasen't sank in to well with a lot of people from the "old" country's. i do hope this creates the deserved recognition among the general population of these "old" country's.

[@tomaash8654]

Fun fact: At first, ANO was short for "Akce nezávislých občanů" (Action of independent citizens), but that sounds horrible and thus was buried far from the reach of voters.

[@janskacel9480]

@@tomaash8654 It was Akce nespokojených občanů (Action of unhappy citizens).

[@DGAMINGDE]

Also Zeman is SPO not CSSD.

[@troo_6656]

You know while you said the names of our political parties in english I just realized how cofusing out parlament must be for foreigners.

[@thetruecyrusplayz1256]

I agree, like, why on earth is there a party called " The pirates"

[@cummerou1]

@@thetruecyrusplayz1256 That's the coolest name for a political party I've ever heard though

[@suber36g]

@@thetruecyrusplayz1256 the pirates are a broad political movement mainly across Europe but are also present worldwide, their campaigns are usually about fairer copyright laws, more government transparency and having Direct or E-democracy depending on each local parties Most pirate parties are also usually Progressive and/or liberal

[@petrsukenik9266]

@@thetruecyrusplayz1256 one of the first themes of that party was internet freedom, so it means digital pirates Ower time it evolved into proper party with center/left liberal policies (Fun face, ODS is right conservative, and they form goverment coalition, Babiš is sutch a threat that he united parties at opposite side of spectrum againts him)

[@bernardodagostino8049]

@@thetruecyrusplayz1256 especially for a country without sea ahaha

[@ichigokuro2527]

Great work on this video. As a Czech citizen which lived by this elections Im amazed by wonderful job you made about it. Keep up the good work

[@thecreepers3478]

"Czech Eisenhower doesn't exist, he can't hurt you" Czech Eisenhower:

[@valentynvorobec7834]

I am so happy for our new president 💕😊

[@milanpenicka1216]

Who cares

[@archaeologistify]

4:31 The slogan is actually "Order and calmness", not "Order and peace". The distinction is important, because Babiš keeps repeating he wants peace, indirectly (as well as directly on his billboards) accusing Pavel of being a warmongering soldier.

[@michalgabriel9647]

Slogan nikoho nezajima

[@vaclavcapek8532]

im from Czech Republic 🇨🇿 and i need to tell you that this video about our elections is great nice job.

[@dawyd_cz1465]

I have never been prouder to be a Czech right now. And hornier

[@danielt2505]

Based

[@petrhruska377]

Based

[@omarbars]

Based

[@HungaryBased]

Godless

[@T-h-e_K-a-y]

Based

[@poloMpolo]

Pavel is a breath of fresh air. Desperetly needed.

[@ukaszwalczak1154]

Pavel is literally like those 1800s/1900s generals with big mustaches, without the mustache, but keeping the giga chad energy.

[@saiien2]

Modern day Masaryk or Pilsudski ;)

[@beth12svist]

He used to have a mustache. Then he retired and grew a beard. (Lots of people compare him to Masaryk. They have very different life stories - Masaryk was an academian - but I think they do at the very least share the calm no-nonsense attitude in the face of political attacks.)

[@ukaszwalczak1154]

@@saiien2 Piłsudski staged a coup when Wincenty Witos was elected, and i don't think Petr has any uhh, historical ideas which he wants to act out in real life- (*COUGH COUGH* INTERMARIUM WAS AN AN ATTEMPT AT RECREATING THE PLC- *COUGH COUGH*)

[@ugiswrong]

Good job Czech Republic

[@amiakeli2682]

As a czech, I cas tell that all that Petr Pavel had to do in order to win is being a decent human being (at least presenting himself as such)

[@AttilaVilassy]

Oh damn, this video is very well done. Very precise except for some little imperfections. You have my appreciation. Greetings from the Czech Republic.

[@mikydetak1210]

you got it all covered, great job!

[@alesh-cz]

6:03 Czechia is pronunced as [ˈtʃekɪə]. the way you spoke it is wrong and gets confused with Chechnya

[@tomaskotrous9224]

exactly

[@neoqwerty]

Is... is there an approximation in english for all of us who haven't learned to read the IPA key? which is it closer to: Kzek-ee-ah? Tzek-ee-ah? In-between?

[@alesh-cz]

@@neoqwerty check-eeya should be close

[@wile123456]

The one Babish you don't want to Binge with

[@suber36g]

Oooo, now I understand the other comments lol

[@niktonic5379]

what

[@neoqwerty]

@@niktonic5379 Binging With Babish is a very good show about cooking and replicating TV and game recipes (it's currently under the channel name "Babish Culinary Universe"). If you have any interest in food I'd recommend it.

[@niktonic5379]

@@neoqwerty lol

[@milankubes5082]

I am impressed. Few people from the Czech KZbin scene can present it like this. Good job 👍

[@therealnuggetball]

Thank you for covering my countries election. You guys did it spot on. This is a great change for Czechia.

[@revisit8480]

Here's a tip: Wait a while...

[@ericafiore1624]

My sister has been to the Czech republic, she loved it there.

[@allanlank]

"...tartan pattered flannel...", "...playing hockey and chopping wood..." Does this mean that General Pavel became President Pavel by looking like a Canadian?

[@giovannituber2827]

Lol good point :D

[@beth12svist]

Pretty much, yeah, he also gathered some of the signatures necessary for official candidature while canoeing down a river. :D This sort of outdoorsmanship is actually a huge part of Czech culture, too, especially in his generation I think. (E.g. my father more or less ignores sports but does a lot of hiking, does wear plaid shirts, and heats his house with wood he gathers on his walks!)

[@jennytalia8224]

Greetings from Czech republic. I found this video quite randomly. But from the first moment, I like it a lot! Precise, well observed everything: from names, places, the footage. Keep up the good job!

[@DatGinnga]

Great coverage 👌🏻

[@donquixote1502]

He stands for the good! He understands humans. He is intelligent and stands with boots on the ground.

[@wojtekpolska1013]

Congratulations to Czechia for electing a sensible candidate! I really hope Poland will be able to also have a victory like that - 2023 sejm and senate election (to choose the ruling party), and 2024 has presidential elections. hopefully PiS doesn't win again, the scandals that happened since they came to power has been awful, and the democracy index in poland dropped significantly during their rule

[@Moravian_Mf]

I wish you guys to have the best candidate to win :)

[@KhaalixD]

Great video! With even greater news :D

[@vtechk]

Thank you for the outside view and great work!

[@Speedwagon..]

Congratulations on Czechia🇨🇿 from Donbas(Donechchina)🇺🇦

[@malfuy9558]

I voted in the same place as Babiš, and I even saw him as I was leaving lol. I am glad he lost, the man is the definition of populist.

[@jirifx]

This is so spot on (apart from the mispronunciations;)! Thanks!

[@danb2234]

Konečně nějaký prezident za kterého se nestydím, pozdrav pánbůh

[@kingajonas5219]

Zazdroscimy Wam prezydenta. Pozdrowienia z Polski

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

I've been watching the Czech elections from abroad, and I found this quite informative! Considering the sharp contrast between General Pavel (a former high-ranking official in NATO) and Babis (who is willing to ignore his own country's NATO obligations), I would like to congratulate the general for this electoral victory. Thanks for the information!

[@dam2236]

idk if it's a win for ukraine but it is definite win for czechia!

[@musiccrusader1353]

Cool video. Just one thing, ANO isn’t pronounced separately by the letter. Instead its pronounced like a word. Thats because the word “ano” means yes in Czech hence the parties name.

[@jmjedi923]

Honestly in not even Czech but I'd vote for Pavel. He looks very trust worthy. And I have a thing for flannels

[@dominov]

Danuše Nerudová sadly became the main target for Babiš's campaign in the first round. The fact that in some surveys she came first meant that she became his primary target but that also made him underestimate Pavel. The plagiarism got severely overblown. They made it look like it was hundreds of people while in reality we are talking about 27 (I think) at most. And it's not event confirmed and it's also something that happens at literally every university in the world once in a while.

[@dominikkalab2971]

For me she was simply not trustworthy and consistent enough (for example "positive campaign" one day and trashing of Pavel based on news title the other.

[@GeorgeSmoke]

Danuse Nerudova would be terrible president

[@zdenekhostasa5726]

She was an option for me, but then she started talking...

[@frufruJ]

IMO Babiš sat out the first round and let Nerudová and Pavel fight each other. Pavel said that he would rather vote for Babiš than Nerudová in the second round. But I do agree that the plagiarism was overblown.

[@pizzaquatroformagi868]

@@frufruJ what??? He said he would never vote for Babis

[@ImAHeroOnHiroin]

Czechia just preparing

[@UlpianHeritor]

How Pavel beat Babis? We all know it’s that jawline. No need for a video

[@Czechbound]

That was a great summary !

[@lorizoli]

Wow, Czechia elected the grey bearded ultra chad

[@martinfuris6701]

We have to also say that Babiš was also in Ksč and he was even denying his previously said words about that (in 2011) in his 2023 presidential campaign.

[@bocasecamansalamanca]

Your channel is great. Keep it up.

[@aresivrc1800]

I wish to congratulate the Czechs for their choice of a new president. Petr Pavels decency and liberal pro european values as well as his military experience will make for a great tenure. All the best for the future of your country from your german neighbours.

[@davidb4093]

Regarding those death threats that Babis allegendly received, there are several sound theories which suggest it was just a marketing stunt. Since he was already on a decline in the public eye he created himself an excuse to avoid more events with people as well as the ability to pose as some sort of martyr.

[@shasotaualfa]

On the other hand, it ain't hard to believe it was true tho, there's tons of fucked up people in our country.

[@pantelos96]

Pavel looks like the real life version of General Shepherd

[@giovannituber2827]

Paragon version thou.. :D

[@adamgcnk]

You also left out the fact that after Babiš lost the first round, he started creating rumors that Pavel is a KGB agent. Also Pavel finished his inteligence agency course after the Velvet revolution, not prior.

[@lamichka]

Also he got rank of General and medal from Havel. Soooo yeah.

[@revisit8480]

So Babis won in court 3 times, because the "rumors" about him are "all true" of course? lmao You don't care who started those though.

[@hawkins347]

@@revisit8480 Babis won in court bc he's a billionaire and a mobster, so he can afford to bribe people or force them to comply through force.

[@mkadlatka6530]

Awesome video😊😊😊

[@giovannituber2827]

As a Czech and your longtime viewer, I do appreciate the coveradge of our Presidential elections. And you did pretty good job. But also missed the biggest story of the election. It was fight between populism and libral democracy. In country where many people wanted populism before. It was quite a victory for democracy based on values. Perhaps other countries could look into how we did it. :)

[@dark_messiah8183]

You’ll come to regret liberal democracy in time.

[@kingofaragorn5172]

@@dark_messiah8183 We'll see 😁

[@ooi97]

It's not surprising that Checks chose a general to be their president. War times call for wartime leaders. Besides, Pavel is 100% more attractive physically, which is always a factor.

[@tomasnozka1]

Very good and sound reporting. I say it as a Czech citizen and voter. Good job.

[@vaclavpodlesak1804]

Good job! I have seen many foreign reports about my country, but none of them was so elaborated and well-reseached as this one. You got right so many details. What was your source?

[@selcovoilucian8253]

Some good news finally There's a lot of pro-russia entities in the EU in Hungary, Serbia, Austria, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia ,Germany, turkey etc. Good job Czechia

[@eurotop40]

Well done Czechia!!!

[@celtspeaksgoth7251]

Another vassal state. Don't expect to be anywhere other than at the back of the queue the next time vaccines are rolled out. Beg like an obedient puppy. Do tricks.

[@lydiemirandaverdecia7117]

😔

[@Hand-in-Shot_Productions]

I agree with this message!

[@wo_zanger2048]

@@lydiemirandaverdecia7117 volič babiše.

[@x.dextrarx.3430]

you live here?

[@adamkiraly7833]

Huge W for Czechia.

[@garydzidowski1134]

Czech people still remember life under Russia.

[@primkup]

It's hard to forget, when Russia keeps reminding us that period.

[@baph0met]

With the way it's going we are going back to totalitarian times, with the likes of Pavel and Babiš even getting votes. Sad how quickly people forget history.

[@Pidalin]

My grandmother said that in 60s, there was a group of soviet students here in Czechoslovakia, they were very interested in bathroom and she didn't know why. Later she realized that many of them saw the bathhub and running hot water for the first time in their lives. It was that moment when she realized what future will come when we will go "forever with soviet union" as propaganda was saying in that time. Not only that people remember life under Russia, people are totaly scared by that.

[@baph0met]

@@Pidalin But it's not just Russia that does this, it's every socialist totalitarian regime, we shouldn't be scared of just Russia, but also of the way our politics is starting to be. We are heading straight back to totality.

[@runek100]

I mean, we fought them for 40 years. We will never forget that. But with nato and eu they can't touch us.

[@sagecouncil]

Great report... Almost 100 percent correct..

[@pavelkucera5708]

I would just add that Pavel's slogan should be translated as "Order and calmness". Pavel does want peace but with Ukraine before the invasion. He supports Ukraine in the war. Babiš had peace as a slogan but he used it to scare the whole nation into voting him.

[@PauldeSwardt]

Well done TLDR!

[@boynamesue7720]

Congrats Greetings from Canada

[@Fryere]

dik za informaci

[@bbbb98765]

Are Czechia and the Czech Republic the same thing? It seems like I've only been hearing the word Czechia fairly recently

[@davidty2006]

Czechia think is just one of them slangs thats easier to say.

[@hawkmandude8059]

They changed their name in english, not sure why

[@suber36g]

In the 2010s, the Czech Republic adopted a shorten name Czechia, like how the Slovak Republic is usually shorten as Slovakia

[@peterhr]

Yes. The same thing.

[@mikheilv]

Yes, the Czech Republic changed its official name to Czechia a few years ago.

[@Osc1llateW1ldly]

long live our new president! General Petr Pavel 🇨🇿 🇪🇺

[@kajaholomkova81]

Nice video! I’m really suprised that someone is making videos about our country 😀 But I think it’s important to add that when Babiš said he won’t help Poland it was all because he sticks to his narrative “i want peace” and he thought it would help him to win.

[@RichieLarpa]

Good question.