President Milo\u0161 Zeman is due to remain in office until early 2023. But that hasn\u2019t stopped names of possible successors already appearing in the media. Mr. Zeman\u2019s defeated opponent in last year\u2019s runoff, Ji\u0159\u00ed Draho\u0161, says a second run is “definitely in play\u201d, while ex-sports star Dominik Ha\u0161ek has also signaled his interest.<\/p>\n
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When Milo\u0161 Zeman was re-elected Czech head of state in January 2018, he received 51.4 percent of the vote in the second round runoff, compared to 48.6 percent for Ji\u0159\u00ed Draho\u0161.<\/p>\n
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Mr. Draho\u0161, a former head of the Czech Academy of Sciences, received the backing of 2.7 million voters.<\/p>\n
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He later won a seat in the Czech Senate as an independent.<\/p>\n
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Earlier this year Mr. Draho\u0161, who is now 70, was cagey about the possibility he might take a second run at the presidency, saying he was not focusing on what would be four years down the line.<\/p>\n
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Though the next elections for head of state are still three and a half years away, Mr. Draho\u0161 has evidently changed his tune somewhat.<\/p>\n
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In an interview published by Den\u00edk.cz on Saturday, he said his candidacy was \u201cdefinitely in play\u201d.<\/p>\n
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Mr. Draho\u0161 told the news organisation that one reason for this was that he was fielding ever more questions at demonstrations and debates about whether he would stand again next time.<\/p>\n
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The timing of this statement may not be coincidental. Just a day earlier ex-ice hockey star Dominik Ha\u0161ek surprised many by saying in a radio interview that he would not rule out running to succeed Mr. Zeman.<\/p>\n
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