Czech President Petr Pavel used his New Year’s Day address to issue a clear warning to the country’s new government, saying he would actively monitor whether ministers take steps that could endanger democracy, national security, or the country’s Western orientation.

Speaking on Jan. 1, Pavel said that while he would give the new cabinet space at the beginning of its term, this would not amount to a prolonged grace period. “It does not have to be the famous 100 days of defense, because the time for the first evaluation will come soon,” he said.

He stressed that his role as president included oversight of the government’s adherence to fundamental democratic commitments. “In accordance with the presidential promise, I will always be interested in whether the government and individual ministers are fulfilling their promise and whether they are taking steps that could threaten our democracy, its institutions, our security, or our belonging to the free world,” Pavel said, adding, “And I believe that I will not be alone.”

Without naming specific parties or politicians, the president also warned against populism and the growing influence of social media-driven political extremes, placing responsibility not only on political leaders but on society as a whole.

Vážení spoluobčané, jako prezident republiky mám tu výjimečnou možnost promluvit k vám hned první den nového roku a popřát vám, aby byl dobrý a aby se každému z vás dařilo. pic.twitter.com/pUfyNFhMdR

— Petr Pavel (@prezidentpavel) January 1, 2026

“May each of us manage not to succumb to the appeal of populism,” he said. “May each of us lift our eyes from the extremes we see daily on social media and look at things around us more soberly and thoughtfully.”

The Czech head of state argued that political conflict had become overstated in public debate and was contributing to social division. “We are not divided because we have so many insurmountable differences among ourselves, but because the emphasis on contradictions sets the tone of our public debate.”

He cautioned against expecting politics alone to restore trust in society, claiming that “politics is inherently based on conflict of opinion, and controversy is the easiest way for it to gain traction.”

Concluding his speech, the president urged citizens to focus on shared values rather than division, saying that “the intersection of our goals is so broad that it makes no sense for disagreement to become the motto of our country.”