President says disputes with government make him more likely to seek re-election

Czech President Petr Pavel says his disputes with the government have strengthened rather than weakened his resolve to seek a second term in office when his current mandate ends in 2028. In an interview with Seznam Zprávy, Pavel said the conflict over his participation in the upcoming NATO summit was driven by Foreign Minister Petr Macinka's retaliation after Pavel refused to appoint Motorists politician Filip Turek as a minister. He also suggested Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) had chosen confrontation with the presidency to preserve coalition unity. Pavel said he would seriously consider running again if he enjoys strong public support and remains in good health.