As per the Czech Republic Presidential election results declared on 25 January 2013, Milos Zeman won and thus became the country’s first elected President through direct elections. He won 55 percent as compared with 45 percent of Karel Schwarzenberg. Milos Zeman is the former Prime Minister of Czech Republic and head of the Citizens’ Rights Party while Karel Schwarzenberg is foreign minister in the present centre-right coalition government. Zeman succeeds Vaclav Klaus. The main issues in the election were anti-corruption measures, national security, and accession to the euro zone, appointment of judges and Presidential pardons of convicts. While the Czech presidency is largely ceremonial, the President influences foreign policy, makes central bank appointments and approves judges. Until 2012, the Parliament elected the President for a five-year term. After years of debate on the topic, followed by allegations of corruption in the voting process, the constitution was amended in 2012 to provide for direct Presidential elections.
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