Voters embrace direct vote

A wintry blast of snow that dusted the capital on Election Day did nothing to stop the keenest of voters getting to polling stations early, demonstrating widespread interest in the country's first direct presidential elections since the fall of communism.

In total, 61.3 percent of eligible voters took part in the historic election Jan. 11-12, with the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) reporting "no difficulties" with vote counting.

"The counting was really quick and worked well," said ČSÚ spokesman Jan Cieslar. "It was easier than in general elections because there were only nine candidates."

While the overall voter turnout wasn't as high as some had expected, political observers were still impressed with the result.

"Actually, the turnout was relatively high, nearly the same compared with the last parliamentary election," said Milan Znoj, a political scientist at Charles University.  "Supposedly it was expected that more voters would come because a presidential election was new and offered people new ways for their engagement in politics. Anyway, it brought about vivid discussions among people and became a strong incentive for civic society to be interested in politics."

At an elementary school in Prague 2-Vinohrady, dozens of mainly older voters began streaming in shortly after polls opened at 2 p.m., a scene repeated at 14,903 other polling stations across the Czech Republic.

Růžena, a retiree, described the chance to elect the next Czech head of state directly as "excellent." "All the people should decide. After watching the debate, everyone can choose the one who was best for them," she said, adding that whoever becomes the new president should be "a man with a clean history and nature, and not want everything for themselves, but for others."

However, not everyone coming to cast their ballot early did so with a sense of enthusiasm.

"I don't think I would choose my favorite person easily because I don't like any of the candidates at all," lamented Jana Smetanová, a mother and undecided voter in Prague.

Overwhelmingly, Prague voters were in favor of Karel Schwarzenberg (43.2 percent), compared with Miloš Zeman (17.1 percent). In the first round, Zeman's best result came from his home region of Vysočina (32.4 percent), where Schwarzenberg polled at just 17.3 percent.

Across the country, overall voting patterns appeared sharply divided along geographic and socioeconomic lines, with Zeman polling best in Moravia as well as in financially crippled west Bohemia. His opponent dominated the central section of the country, with Schwarzenberg particularly enjoying support from urban voters and wealthier elites. The foreign affairs minister also enjoyed the support of most Czechs who cast their ballots from abroad.

In a Moravian village outside Brno, locals said it would be Prague voters who decided the outcome. "Prague always determines everything, and this election will be no different," grumbled retired farmer Jaroslav. "In any case, whoever gets elected to the castle will probably be just another crook."

In New York City, former figure-skating champion Ája Vrzáňová, who fled communist Czechoslovakia in 1950, was among more than 200 Czechs in North America to cast a vote on the first day of polling.

"It is our duty [to take part in the election] so that the republic can remain good and so that we are able to visit it," she said.

Troops serving in Afghanistan also had the opportunity to vote at the Czech Embassy in Kabul and at the Shank military base in the Logar province.

Among those commenting on the country's latest interest in politics was legendary singer Karel Gott.

"The head of state should not be romantic and a declaimer, but someone who tells the truth, cements the nation and will emphasize the economy," he remarked on election night. Gott said he would not endorse any candidate.

Voters will have their chance to decide Jan. 25-26 exactly who the president will be.

Andrew Greene can be reached at
agreene@praguepost.com