Czech President Petr Pavel faces political dispute over NATO summit attendance

A public poll found that 53 % of Czechs view a competence lawsuit against President Petr Pavel – who may be barred from the NATO summit in Ankara – as a way to clarify presidential powers. Government ministers are divided: Finance Minister Alena Schiller calls the lawsuit nonsense, while STAN leader Vít Rakušan says such legal action is an extreme instrument usable only when normal dialogue fails. Former Prime Minister Petr Fiala argues the issue should be settled politically, and Foreign Minister Petr Macinka warns a lawsuit would be an act of hostility. The cabinet is set to decide on Pavel’s participation on 22 June, a matter that eight of ten respondents consider a serious problem for government‑president relations. The debate also draws broader commentary on gender representation in Czech politics, noting that all key figures in the dispute – including Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Minister Jaromír Zůna and MP Tomio Okamura – are men, sparking discussion of diversity in decision‑making bodies.