Czech Constitutional Court orders President Pavel to attend NATO summit

The Czech government initially announced that President Petr Pavel would not travel to the NATO summit in Ankara, naming Prime Minister Andrej Babiš as head of the delegation. A few days later the Constitutional Court issued an interim measure requiring the government to ensure the president’s participation, forcing officials to notify NATO and adjust the delegation roster.

The court’s order sparked a political clash: the president insists that protocol makes the head of state the automatic leader of the Czech delegation, while the foreign minister and other ministers argue the decision does not obligate the president to lead. The government has said it will respect the court ruling but continues to dispute the president’s role.

A public opinion poll found that a majority of Czechs believe both the president and the prime minister should represent the country at the summit, with 56 % favoring Babiš and 47 % favoring Pavel. The dispute highlights tensions between the executive and the judiciary and raises questions about the Czech Republic’s foreign‑policy coordination ahead of the July NATO meeting.