Tens of thousands of people gathered in Prague on Sunday to show support for President Petr Pavel amid a growing clash with Foreign Minister Petr Macinka over a cabinet appointment. Organizers estimated attendance at 80,000–90,000, though police did not provide an official count. Demonstrators carried Czech, EU and Ukrainian flags. The independent Million Moments for Democracy movement condemned Macinka’s behavior as “unprecedented blackmail” that has no place in democratic life. Pavel thanked the crowd on X, praising those “willing to stand up for decency, truth, solidarity and mutual respect” and who feel responsible for the country’s condition. Organizers said similar rallies are planned in other towns on February 15.
The dispute centers on Pavel’s refusal to approve Filip Turek as environment minister. Last week the president released messages he said were sent by Macinka that he characterized as attempts at blackmail. In those texts Macinka warned that if Turek were not appointed he would “burn our bridges” in an unprecedented way that would become a case study in political cohabitation, according to Pavel. Macinka, who is serving as both foreign and environment minister, has defended the messages as routine political bargaining, telling Czech television that politics demands toughness and is “not a discipline for princesses.”
Turek was nominated by Motorists for Themselves, a conservative, eurosceptic partner in Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s coalition. He has faced scrutiny for past social media posts described as racist, homophobic and sexist, and has been accused of performing a Nazi salute and sharing Nazi-related items online. Turek has apologized for some posts but denies being racist or a Nazi sympathizer. Pavel, who has constitutional veto power over ministerial appointments, has repeatedly blocked Turek’s nomination, saying his record raises questions about commitment to the values enshrined in the Czech constitution.
The standoff follows the formation of a new government after October elections. Pavel formally swore in the administration on December 15 after Babis’s ANO movement joined with the anti-migrant Freedom and Direct Democracy party and Motorists for Themselves to form a majority coalition. That coalition’s agenda includes distancing the Czech Republic from support for Ukraine and rejecting some core EU policies, positions at odds with Pavel, a retired general and a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia.
The confrontation has put Czech politics under the spotlight, underscoring friction between the president’s constitutional responsibilities and the parliamentary majority’s agenda. Both sides have signaled they are preparing for a prolonged battle over ministerial appointments and the broader direction of the country’s foreign and domestic policies.