r/europe
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u/ieatassformymom
Citizen of 🇬🇧 🇨🇿
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Jan 28 '23
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New czech president has been elected! News
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u/isCosmos
Turkey
Jan 28 '23
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Wait, you guys have presidents that change?
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u/TheBlacktom Hungary Jan 28 '23
Unbelievable
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u/milutin_miki Serbia Jan 28 '23
Is that even possible?
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u/IronDBZ Jan 28 '23
These flairs are killing me
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u/reincarnatedcucumber Serbia Jan 28 '23
No, the presidents are killing us.
Well, that's it from me, I'll disappear tomorrow or die by suspicious and unexpected suicide. Bye now.
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u/Luca_Argentieri Italy Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
I'll suggest you to stay away from any window and staircase. People tend to fall off very easily these days.
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u/man0315 China Jan 29 '23
Of course It's not possible. It's fake news and we have deducted OP's social credit points.
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u/JustANorseMan Jan 28 '23
Ours just got replaced about a year ago though. Not like the change would've shifted the political mainstream and acts in any direction
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u/LTFGamut The Netherlands Jan 28 '23
didn't know that concept even existed.
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u/mbrevitas Italy Jan 28 '23
I can’t tell whether this is a reference to the Netherlands being a monarchy (so the head of state is the King, until he abdicates or dies) or to Rutte somehow staying on as the head of government (prime minister) over many years and through various scandals and crises…
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u/LTFGamut The Netherlands Jan 28 '23
I'm pretty sure we will be swallowed by the sea before we get a prime minister other than Rutte.
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u/Strange-Ticket5680 Jan 28 '23
Ok fine, you win. I'm googling the Dutch government
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u/SgtBanana Jan 28 '23
It's a constitutional monarchy, with the monarchy having limited powers that are defined in the constitution. Their PM, Mark Rutte, has held his place in office since 2010.
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u/cheese0muncher London bleibt Europäisch Jan 28 '23
I grieve for the moderates in Turkey. :/
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u/Personality-False Jan 28 '23
smash
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u/ieatassformymom Citizen of 🇬🇧 🇨🇿 Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
Note: Elections are still being counted, but it’s certain now that General Petr Pavel has won the election! edit: He is the president! I’m editing this after drinking in celebration at a pub😁
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u/Unexpected_yetHere Jan 28 '23 •
Are the results from Královec in yet?
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u/lat_dom_hata_oss United States of America Jan 28 '23
Pavel promised them that strategic beer pipeline as his first act in office, so they're projecting he won the region by a landslide.
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u/NAG3LT Lithuania Jan 28 '23
99.9% vote for the winner of course! Meanwhile, several hundred people gather on Queen Louise Bridge asking for the political asylum in Lithuania.
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u/1istheloniestnumber Baden-Württemberg (Germany)🇩🇪 Jan 28 '23
Could be played by pedro pascal.
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u/ieatassformymom Citizen of 🇬🇧 🇨🇿 Jan 28 '23
yeah lol😂
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u/Open_Business1887 Jan 28 '23
Yes, He has a proud expression. I look forward to seeing what he can do for his Czech friends and what impact he will have on Europe as a whole.
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u/BlackViperMWG Czechia (Silesia) FTW Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
Found out how he was warning us about West living in an illusion in 2015, I'd say he is perfect for these times.
Deepl translation: https://www.reddit.com/r/europe/comments/10ngk3y/new_czech_president_has_been_elected/j690hp5/
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u/Eaton_Rifles Jan 28 '23
Looks like he had Pootin well sussed in 2015.
Seems like a perfect leader for these trying times.
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u/Seveand Hungary Jan 28 '23
That dude can play anyone, from bounty hunter to lovable family dad, no role is too difficult for him.
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u/BullTerrierTerror Jan 28 '23
I fell in love with the Viper of Dorne.
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u/tosser_0 Jan 28 '23
"I will be your champion"
I was like, oh shit...you can be my champion. And I'm barely gay.
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u/NobleAzorean Azores (Portugal) Jan 28 '23
What is his political party and views?
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u/paraquinone Czech Republic Jan 28 '23
No political party, from what he said he is actually quite progressive for Czech political standards.
I’d say he is sitting somewhere on the most progressive fringes of liberal conservatism.
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u/Citadel_KenGriffin Jan 28 '23
liberal conservatism
I thought I went for a quick Google definition, but ended up reading a bunch https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_conservatism
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u/OsoCheco USE Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
I would specify him as liberal populist. He formed itself to be the ideal candidate for liberal voters.
Which is quite a feat for someone who spent his entire life in the army. His PR was very good and definitely expensive.
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u/BlackViperMWG Czechia (Silesia) FTW Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 29 '23
No political party. Was nominated by getting 81k signatures from people (limit was 50k).
And about views, pretty good: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petr_Pavel#Political_views
He was amazing in presidential debates, being calm even when facing lies and babbling.
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"I do not like the fact that those in power exploit loopholes in the law, bend the rules, or even write them for their own purposes. The president must enforce that the rules apply equally to everyone in our country and be the first to follow that principle," he says, adding that the president should be independent of political parties and capital.
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u/RandomowyMetal Lower Silesia (Poland) Jan 28 '23
Wait what? He is independent?
Wow. Nice.
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u/Vectorman1989 Jan 28 '23
Amazing what happens in countries where your choices are more than Blue Party or Red Party
*cries in British*
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u/RandomowyMetal Lower Silesia (Poland) Jan 28 '23
sobs in Polish yea...
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u/gordonpown Jan 28 '23
Polish system: red party very competent at making the country fascist and only that, vs a bag of off-brand M&M's
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u/ieatassformymom Citizen of 🇬🇧 🇨🇿 Jan 28 '23
Facing lies, by speaking truth. That’s one of many reasons why he was successful
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u/BlackViperMWG Czechia (Silesia) FTW Jan 28 '23
Absolutely. And even managed to crack a joke or two.
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u/Backwardspellcaster Jan 28 '23
Pavel argued in 2019 that rich people should pay higher taxes and supports stronger redistribution of wealth. He has cited Scandinavian countries as an inspiration.[33]
He spoke out for active Czech membership in the EU and NATO, supports the introduction of euthanasia[34], and he rejects the death penalty.[35] He also supports same-sex marriage and adoption rights for homosexual people,[36] and confirmed he would not veto a law permitting same-sex marriage.[28]
He is centre-right??
I really wouldn't have guessed.
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u/PangolinZestyclose30 Jan 28 '23
Applying classical conservative/liberal dimension in post-communist countries is difficult.
e.g. educated people tend to be socially liberal, but economically conservative, less educated people the opposite.
But this is weirdly not well reflected in the political parties (in Czechia at least), where the right-of-center parties are both economically and socially conservative. But in Czechia social issues aren't a huge topic like in the west, so people usually vote according to the economical dimension.
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u/TheNotSoFriendlyBird Jan 28 '23
Wow, this surely is something of a non standard candidate. While I myself don't seem to agree with some of his political views he still seems like a decent pick.
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u/moshiyadafne Jan 28 '23
Was nominated by getting 81k signatures from people (limit was 50k).
For whatever reason, this reminded me of the show "Servant of the People".
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u/Tugalord Jan 28 '23
It is common to have to raise a certain number of signatures to run in elections.
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u/BlackViperMWG Czechia (Silesia) FTW Jan 28 '23
Yes, but some candidates prefer getting signatures from senators or members of parliament, you need much less - 10 or 20 respectively.
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u/BubsyFanboy Mazovia (Poland) Jan 28 '23
Honestly, a retired NATO general winning in these times is only fitting.
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u/NerdPunkFu The top of the Baltic States, as always Jan 28 '23
So, what you're telling me is that Hindenburg became president 2 years early in this timeline?
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Jan 28 '23 edited 13d ago
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u/smjsmok Czech Republic Jan 29 '23
Thank you. I finally have a president I don't have to be ashamed for.
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u/LilMixelle Czech Republic Jan 29 '23
Cheers mate! At last, a brisk of hope in these dark times for us.
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u/BGE116Ia359 Île-de-France Jan 28 '23
What kind of powers does the Czech president have? Is he as important as the president in France, or more of a figurehead like in Germany?
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u/mdmr_ Jan 28 '23
The office was intended to be more of a ceremonial role than anything. However during his presidency Zeman exercised his powers to the limit and beyond (some would say his actions were unconstitutional, even).
The president can veto, refuse to appoint ministers chosen by the government, appoints judges to the Constitutional Court, president and vice-president of the Supreme Court and governors of the National Bank. Add in the fact that most people don't consider the president to be a mere figurehead and the position becomes actually quite significant and powerful, even if it's nowhere close to presidential or even most semi-presidential republics.
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u/spauracchio1 Jan 28 '23
Like Germany or Italy, it's a parliamentary republic, not semi-presidential like France.
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u/SXFlyer Germany / Czech Republic Jan 29 '23
definitely more power on the Czech national politics than the German president on German national politics tbh.
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u/EowalasVarAttre Czech Republic Jan 28 '23
De facto not much, but as the previous one has shown he can have a great influence on the goverment, public and also foreign policy
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u/jsidksns Jan 28 '23
Czech presidents don't really have that much power de jure but in reality they've had more influence than the Constitution would suggest ever since the founding of Czechoslovakia
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Jan 28 '23
Wonderful news, so glad Babis didn’t get elected.
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u/CressCrowbits Fingland Jan 28 '23
He still whined like a little bitch in his concession speech, asked his political opponents to "stop attacking our side's children at their schools" like what the fuck are you on about.
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u/Joxposition Jan 28 '23
Babis went on the offensive against his opponent, retired general and NATO official Petr Pavel. Since then, struggling in the polls, he has compared Pavel to Russian President Vladimir Putin, attacked him for serving as a soldier in the Czech army during communist times, and based his campaign portraying Pavel as intent on sending Czech soldiers to war.
Ok wow. That's classy behavior.
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u/PapaJosiphStalin Jan 28 '23
attacked him for serving as a soldier in the Czech army during communist times
That's funny considering Babiš was in the ŠtB, the Czechoslovak version of the KGB
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u/Joxposition Jan 28 '23
So basically, all the accusations were his attempt to deflect his sins? I see deny, attack and reverse are all in use...
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u/Throwaway91847817 Jan 28 '23
At least he conceded
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u/CressCrowbits Fingland Jan 28 '23
It's sad that the bare minimum like that is a good sign.
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u/lucrac200 Jan 28 '23
Can you clone him and give us a copy for Romania?
I think our president died 5y ago but they keep him on the window to cash his paycheck.
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u/gmanz33 Jan 28 '23
I'll take one of those clones for ... well let's just say daddy issues
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u/gizerrr Jan 28 '23
Lol, we had this for like 2 years of Zeman's presidency and those were best years out of his 10 years which he served as a president.
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u/FatFaceRikky Jan 28 '23
Wasnt Iohannis originally popular and not corrupt?
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u/lucrac200 Jan 28 '23
I mean, kind of yeah.
The main reason he was elected was that he wasn't his opponent.
Well, he's still not his ex-opponent, but he's as useful to Ro as a bicycle to a fish.
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u/Background_Rich6766 Bucharest Jan 28 '23
this guy is ex-NATO, right? Surely we can find some Romanian ex-NATO general (we do host the Multinational Division after all) that can replace the sloth that is Klaus
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u/ghe5 Czech Republic Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
ex-NATO? yes but also head of the NATO military committee. For a Czech general there's really no higher place to go. He had to retire, not because of age or something, but because there was literally no other place to go.
He's done it all. He finished the whole Czech army quest line and now' he's doing the presidential side quest.
So calling him ex-NATO ,while true, is not giving him enough credit I think.
E: Oh and he's also a war hero, just in case he wasn't already based enough
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u/Background_Rich6766 Bucharest Jan 28 '23
I didn't want to discredit him, but the person said that you should send a clone of his to Romania, we also have one of our presidential candidates in a high NATO position, and quite the important one, he is like second in command after Stoltenberg
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u/Axerin Jan 28 '23
It's not quite the same thing though. Pavel was the highest military officer in NATO (Chair of the military committee) and thus the main military advisor to the secretary general of NATO. In a more practical (war) sense he was the second in command. Mircea is the deputy secretary general, which is the second highest position but it is more of a political position and less on the strategic/military side of things (which is a bit less important in a state of war). It's like being the vice President or deputy PM of a country. Doesn't mean he isn't a worthy candidate to be President, just that they have very different roles.
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u/46_and_2 Milk-induced longevity Jan 28 '23
Bulgarian ex-NATO general for president turned out to be Russia apologist when he took office, so your mileage may vary.
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Jan 28 '23
bro is majestic
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u/ieatassformymom Citizen of 🇬🇧 🇨🇿 Jan 28 '23
I voted only because I have daddy issues /s
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u/Wolf6120 Czech Republic Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
In round 1 I voted for Nerudova because of my mommy issues, but I guess voting for my daddy issues in round 2 was also pretty good. And Mommy Čaputová showed up as a surprise guest at his victory party so I see this as an absolute win.
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u/ls1234567 Jan 28 '23
Really? I never would have guessed. Everything I’ve seen suggests you have a super healthy family dynamic, /u/ieatassformymom.
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u/brews Jan 28 '23
Looks like a boss character in metal gear solid. Like, the tragic villain who taught you everything you know but was working for the baddies this whole time ... But, maybe you're working for the baddies... (What a twist). He looks like that guy.
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u/neaeras Jan 28 '23
I don’t know much about him but from what I‘ve read here and on previous posts he is the more progressive candidate. Good to see!
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u/TeaBoy24 Jan 28 '23
Well it was either an ex NATO General with a good track record..... Or basically skinny Trump.
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u/ghe5 Czech Republic Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
He acknowledged his defeat so I'd say Trump light.
although it's hard to deny 58/42 (or 3,3 mil vs 2,4 mil votes defeat)
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u/Tbirkovic Jan 28 '23
I would not put it past Trump to deny that. It just shows the massive voter fraud going on from the Dem’s and most likely somehow Soros.
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u/gunnnutty Czech Republic Jan 28 '23
He is liberal and pro western
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u/G0t7 Jan 28 '23
I read "pro wrestling" and got excited and confused lol
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u/Chariotwheel Germany Jan 28 '23
After Trump all the world leaders trained in not getting dominated by handshakes. Little did they know that the meta game would become not getting German suplexed by the Czech president.
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u/BlackViperMWG Czechia (Silesia) FTW Jan 28 '23
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u/Torgard Faroe Islands Jan 28 '23
Following the spread of disinformation that the Czech Republic would be mobilized and directly involved in the war in Ukraine if he won, due to his military past, Pavel stated: "I know what war is and I certainly don't wish it on anyone. The first thing I would do is try to keep the country as far away from war as possible. But I'm not saying that keeping a country as far away from war as possible means resigning yourself to bad things that are happening. Because if we just watch, the war will come to us too. (...) Soldiers do not start wars. Politicians start them, and then soldiers solve it for them."
Jesus. That's some powerful stuff. I got goosebumps reading that.
Seems like an honorable and righteous man.
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u/dustojnikhummer Czech Republic Jan 28 '23
And like someone with real life military experience... figures...
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u/FenixRl Jan 28 '23
Nice, my new president is Daddy Pavel
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u/Leopardo96 Masovia (Poland) Jan 28 '23
I feel the same way, he's definitely a DILF (too bad he's straight, but whatever).
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u/Sockhouse Jan 28 '23
I really thought it was Pedro Pascal
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u/LowenbrauDel Jan 28 '23
Nice to see the president who can find time to run the country and still be able to appear in popular tv shows
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u/theSandwichSister Jan 28 '23
I thought a joke about pedro pascal being made the new czech prez would be the top comment
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u/D_Ruskovsky Slovakia Jan 28 '23
Czechia-Slovakia S tier president combo <3
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u/BlackViperMWG Czechia (Silesia) FTW Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
If anyone is wondering why photo in military uniform, Pavel is decorated soldier and former chariman of NATO military committee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petr_Pavel#Military_career
E: also, I just realized logo of his presidential campaign is very close to WoW Alliance
E2: found out this article from 2015 about West living in an illusion and Russia arming
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u/zsmg Jan 28 '23
So the playable races for the Alliance are Humans, Night Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, Worgen, Draenei and *check notes* Czechs.
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u/filipminarik Jan 28 '23
Im not the only one who thinks this! Czechia in the Alliance soon?
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u/Jakub64 Slovakia Jan 28 '23
Time to start shipping Zuzana - Pavel
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u/rtb-nox-prdel Jan 28 '23
Zuzana literally visited him during his post-winning speech/party/event/whatever!
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u/onlinepresenceofdan Czech Republic Jan 28 '23
There is only one way to reunite our nations
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u/rzn1710 Jan 28 '23
Looks like a good guy. Anti-Putin, pro-NATO. Replaces the guy that used to cozy up to Putin until the Ukraine invasion. Need someone like him in Belarus.
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u/Crap_People Crêpes People (Merkel hat mich eingeladen) Jan 28 '23
Thank God, I'm so glad I can keep loving Czechia without bad feelings ! 😘
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u/Separate-Cream7685 Jan 28 '23
Common sense prevailed, there’s hope in the world. Thank you, my fellow Europeans, for doing the right thing.
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u/Tutes013 North Holland (Netherlands) Jan 28 '23 edited Jan 28 '23
He's got a proud look to him. I'm eager to see what he can do for our Czech friends and the impacts he'll have in Europe in general
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u/Daydree Jan 28 '23
I think I saw him as one of the Allied commanders in C&C...
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u/Vladesku Romania Jan 28 '23
This area is under the control of the Air Force General Malcolm Granger! Withdraw now, or prepare to be bombed back to the stone age! General, you are no match for me. I own the skies.
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u/Coin2111 Poland Jan 28 '23
Looks like Geralt's good fellow on the trail. Fucking charisma overflow
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u/viki_alebo_viky Slovakia Jan 28 '23
Now Czech and Slovak president meet ups will definitely be worth watching
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u/MeddlinQ Czech Republic Jan 28 '23
They already met, Zuzana Caputova visited Prague today to congratulate him in person.
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u/romanianthief123 Romania Jan 28 '23
He looks so proud and majestic. And he's independent ? Perfect president.
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u/Scandited Jan 28 '23
Tbh, I thought for first that it’s the joke and military coup was held in Czechia
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u/Oakseyyyy Hungary Jan 28 '23
Can you guys clone him and give a copy to Hungary? I'm sick of seeing Orban
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u/evieamelie kiss my Eastern European ass Jan 28 '23
Alright, czechies this dude is ok I take it yeah? The other guy was the whacko one right?
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u/MeddlinQ Czech Republic Jan 28 '23
Yeah, this one's a huge win both for Czechia and for EU, too.
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u/arkadios_ Piedmont Jan 28 '23
Ocelot became Czech PM?
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u/Unexpected_yetHere Jan 28 '23
Ocelot? More like give the man an eyepatch and allow him to rename the office of president into Big Boss.
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u/ContributionSad4461 Norrland 🇸🇪 Jan 28 '23
Okay so Sweden can not into NATO but maybe NATO can into Sweden? And by NATO I mean this guy and by Sweden I mean me
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u/happy_elephant_ua Dnipro (Ukraine) Jan 28 '23
Czechs ❤️🇨🇿❤️
I knew you would make a right decision
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u/PermafrostMethane Jan 28 '23
In this thread: People who have no idea who the candidates were or what the responsibilities of the Czech president are preaching about how people from the military are bad leaders.
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u/GanzerBatzen Bremen (Germany) Jan 28 '23
He looks like a character from call of duty
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u/Anti-charizard United States of America Jan 28 '23
Wasn’t he the former chairman of NATO or something?
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u/simihal101 Jan 28 '23
Congratulations. In the current situation I think this is the best choice 😀
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u/TeaBoy24 Jan 28 '23
In any situation he is the better option. The opposition was basically Trump
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u/BlackViperMWG Czechia (Silesia) FTW Jan 28 '23
Yep. Wealthy, "never wanted to go into politics", with plenty of shady financial deals, with red hat..
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u/PsychedelicScythe Sweden Jan 28 '23
So, Czech Republic.. How's the toughts going? Is he any good?
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u/Admiral-09 Jan 28 '23
He’s quite progressive and from what he’s said during interviews and his press conference after he had won, he also puts emphasis on the importance of working together. That’s imo especially important as we have a long tradition of political saviours who act like they’ll solve every problem and you don’t have to move a finger. Pavel says that we all have to work for our society to do better. For me, I’m really happy and proud he’s going to be our president.
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u/iel_celal_26 Turkey Jan 28 '23
He looks like a Metal Gear Solid character.