Retired army General Petr Pavel won a narrow victory over billionaire populist and former Prime Minister Andrej Babis in the first round of the Czech Republic’s presidential election. Pavel won 35.39% of the votes Saturday versus 35% for Babis in the eight-candidate field.

The two will face off against each other in another round of voting in two weeks. Economics Professor Danuse Nerudova finished in third place with 13.9% of the vote. Political analysts had predicted a close contest between the 68-year-old Babis and the 61-year-old Pavel.

Babis was considered the leading opposition candidate. Pavel, a former chair of NATO’s military committee, received the endorsement of the government and was seen as the most pro-Western and pro-democratic candidate. The war in Ukraine is likely to play a significant role in the elections, as it has raised security and foreign policy concerns to a higher level than they otherwise would be in the election. Pavel is seen as an enthusiastic supporter of Ukraine as the country defends itself from Russian attacks, while Babis has been more ambiguous.

The economy is also a major issue for Czech voters which could benefit Babis. However, the Czech voters want to see the Czech Republic maintain strong ties with the West and NATO which likely helps Pavel. The winner of the election will take over from current President Milos Zeman, who is completing his second term.

Article by Prague Forum