On the eve of the final round of voting for the office of president of the Czech Republic, the two candidates met in the Rudolfinum concert hall along the Vltava river for a televised debate. President Miloš Zeman had dominated the chaotic first debate, which was botched by an incompetent moderator who allowed spectators to boo and catcall the two candidates from beginning to end.
Zeman’s opponent Jiří Drahoš upped his game for the second debate, which was (surprisingly enough) conducted in a civilized atmosphere and contained actual discussion. However, while he was better prepared last night and put Zeman on the defensive repeatedly, the real winner of the debate according to social media was the moderator Svetlana Witowska who kept both of the men under control and on-topic.
Czechs go to the polls beginning this afternoon, with the result likely to be known by late Saturday afternoon. It’s unclear, however, whether the outcome will have any immediate impact on the formation of a Czech government, as president Zeman claims that even if he loses, before stepping down he would ask the presumptive prime minister Andrej Babiš to make a second attempt at forming a government.
