Petr Pavel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petr Pavel
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Official portrait, 2023
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| 4th President of the Czech Republic | |
| Assumed office 9 March 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Petr Fiala |
| Preceded by | Miloš Zeman |
| Chair of the NATO Military Committee | |
| In office 26 June 2015 – 29 June 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Knud Bartels |
| Succeeded by | Stuart Peach |
| Chief of the General Staff | |
| In office 1 July 2012 – 1 May 2015 |
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| President | |
| Preceded by | Vlastimil Picek |
| Succeeded by | Josef Bečvář |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 November 1961 Planá, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) |
| Political party | Independent (since 1989) |
| Other political affiliations |
Communist (1985–1989) |
| Spouses |
Hana Pavlová
(m. 1986; div. 2001)Eva Pavlová
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater |
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| Awards |
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| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Czechoslovakia (1979–1992) Czech Republic (1993–2018) |
| Branch/service | Czechoslovak People's Army (1979–1990) Czechoslovak Army (1990–1992) Czech Army (1993–2018) |
| Years of service | 1979–2018 |
| Rank | Army general |
| Battles/wars |
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Petr Pavel (born 1 November 1961) is a Czech politician and a retired army general. He is currently the president of the Czech Republic, a role he has held since March 2023. Before becoming president, he was the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee from 2015 to 2018. He also served as the top military leader, the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, from 2012 to 2015.
Petr Pavel was born in Planá into a family with a military background. He joined the army after finishing military academy in 1983. He served in the Czechoslovak People's Army and was a member of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia for a few years. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when Czechoslovakia became a democratic country, Pavel joined the new Czech Army. He gained international recognition for his bravery during a rescue mission in 1993.
Pavel rose through the ranks to become the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces. Later, he was chosen to lead the NATO Military Committee. This made him the first military officer from a former Eastern Bloc country to hold such a high position in NATO. After 44 years of service, Pavel retired from the military with honors.
In 2021, Pavel decided to run for president in the 2023 Czech presidential election. He promised to work closely with NATO allies and support Ukraine and the European Union. He won the election in January 2023 and became the fourth president of the Czech Republic. He took office on 9 March 2023, following Miloš Zeman. Pavel is the second Czech president with a military background.
In his first few months as president, Pavel appointed new judges and made several international trips. He visited Kyiv and Dnipro in Ukraine, becoming the first foreign leader to visit eastern Ukraine since the war started.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Petr Pavel was born on November 1, 1961, in Planá, Czechoslovakia. His father was an intelligence officer in the military. Pavel went to the Jan Žižka Military Gymnasium in Opava. He then studied at the Military University of the Ground Forces in Vyškov. He graduated in 1983 and became a paratrooper in the Czechoslovak Army.
In 1985, Pavel joined the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. He left the party after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. He later said joining the Communist Party was a mistake. He felt he made up for it by serving the democratic cause.
After 1989, he continued his military studies. He studied at the Military Academy in Brno. He also studied at several international colleges. These included the King's College London, where he earned a Master's degree in international relations.
Military Career and Service
Serving with the United Nations
After his studies, Pavel worked in military intelligence for the Czechoslovak Armed Forces until 1993. He then served with the 1st Czechoslovak Battalion of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in Bosnia.
In January 1993, his unit was sent on a dangerous mission. They had to evacuate a French military base called Karin Base, which was surrounded by Serbian troops. The French army could not reach the base. Pavel led 29 soldiers with two armored vehicles to help. They faced many challenges, including fallen trees and mortar fire. When they reached the base, two French soldiers had died, and others were injured. Pavel's unit successfully evacuated 55 French soldiers. For his brave actions, he received awards from both the Czech Republic and France.
Rising Through the Ranks
After his service in Bosnia, Pavel held many important roles in the Czech Army. He worked in military intelligence and diplomacy. He represented the Czech Republic in military diplomatic positions in countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United States.
From 1997 to 1999, he commanded the 6th Special Brigade. He also worked at the NATO headquarters in Brunssum from 1999 to 2002. In 2003, he was a representative at the United States Central Command during Operation Enduring Freedom. He also served as a liaison officer in Qatar during the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Pavel became a brigadier general in 2002. He held various leadership roles in the Ministry of Defence. From 2007 to 2009, he was the Czech Republic's military representative to the European Union in Brussels. He became a major general in 2010 and a lieutenant general in 2012. In 2011, he helped write a report called the White Book on Defense. This report looked at the state of the Czech Republic's defense and suggested ways to improve it.
In July 2011, Pavel became the Deputy Chief of the General Staff. A year later, on 1 June 2012, he was promoted to Chief of the General Staff. In this role, he helped the army work with universities and organized discussions on defense and security.
Leading the NATO Military Committee
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In July 2014, Petr Pavel was nominated to be the Chair of the NATO Military Committee. He was elected to this important position in September 2014. He was the first person from a former Warsaw Pact country to lead this committee. His term began in 2015.
During his time as chairman, Pavel dealt with several major international events. These included the Turkish military action in Afrin and the growing influence of China. He also oversaw NATO's response to the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. He worked to restart talks with Russia, even though he saw Russia as a major threat.
When his term ended in 2018, Jens Stoltenberg, the head of NATO, praised Pavel. He said Pavel led the Military Committee very well during an important time for NATO. Pavel received the Commander of the Legion of Merit award for his work.
Life After the Army
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After leaving the army in 2018, Pavel became a lecturer and consultant. He also took part in conferences for the Aspen Institute. In 2019, he helped start an organization called 'Pro bezpečnou budoucnost' (For a safe future).
In April 2020, Pavel launched the 'Spolu silnější' (Stronger Together) initiative. This project aimed to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic. It raised money for volunteers in hospitals and helped create medical tools. The initiative also worked to prepare the country for future crises. Pavel traveled around the Czech Republic to gather information from experts. He then presented an anti-crisis plan to the Prime Minister.
Presidential Campaign
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In 2019, leaders of several Czech political parties discussed who might run for president. Petr Pavel was a popular choice. On 29 June 2022, Pavel officially announced he would run in the 2023 Czech presidential election. He said he wanted the Czech Republic to be proud of its president.
Pavel started his official campaign on 6 September 2022. He promised to bring "order and peace to the Czech Republic." His platform was pro-Western and pro-European, and he spoke out against populism. On 4 October 2022, he was one of three candidates supported by the Spolu political alliance.
The first round of the election was held on 13 and 14 January 2023. Pavel received 35.4% of the votes. He narrowly finished ahead of former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. Pavel then won the second round on 28 January, with 58.32% of the votes. He became the fourth president of the Czech Republic.
After his election, Pavel planned his first foreign trips to Slovakia, Poland, and Ukraine. He wanted to show the Czech Republic's commitment to its international partners. He also spoke with the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, which led to some criticism from China.
Presidency (2023–Present)
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Before his inauguration, Pavel gave many interviews to media outlets. He spoke with leaders like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. He was the first elected European head of state to speak with the Taiwanese president by phone in recent history.
Pavel attended the Munich Security Conference as president-elect. There, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen.
Pavel was sworn in as president on 9 March 2023. In his speech, he spoke about dignity, respect, and decency. He said he wanted to help create a shared vision for the Czech Republic. His first trip as president was to Slovakia, where he met with President Zuzana Čaputová.
In his first 100 days, Pavel worked to make Prague Castle more open to the public. He also tried to improve communication within the presidential office. Public trust in the president increased significantly during this time. Pavel appointed three judges to the Constitutional Court. He also spoke to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Political experts praised his open communication.
By June 2023, Pavel had visited all neighboring countries: Slovakia, Poland, Germany, and Austria. He suggested closer cooperation between the Czech Republic and Germany. His visit to Bavaria in May 2023 on a motorcycle attracted a lot of attention.
Pavel has strongly supported Ukraine in its war against Russia. He has called for continued military and humanitarian aid from Western countries. In April 2023, he was the first foreign president to visit eastern Ukraine since the war began. He offered Czech support for rebuilding the Dnipropetrovsk region. In June 2023, Pavel spoke about the need for security measures for Russian citizens living in the West. He later clarified that he meant measures to prevent attacks and the spread of propaganda, not individual surveillance.
In 2023, Pavel gave speeches at major international events. These included the Council of Europe Summit and the UN General Assembly. He called for fighting against populism and resisting "war fatigue." He urged countries not to make concessions to Russia.
On 15 January 2024, Pavel visited Israel to show support during the Gaza war. He met with Israeli politicians and supported a two-state solution for peace. He then visited Qatar to discuss the conflict.
On 6 February 2025, Pavel signed a law that prevents Russian nationals from getting Czech citizenship. This applies even if they have lived in the Czech Republic for a long time. Critics say this law is unfair.
On 21 May 2025, Pavel issued a presidential pardon. This stopped the criminal case against four members of the Czech Army's 601st Special Forces Group. These soldiers were investigated after an incident in Afghanistan in 2018. Pavel said the pardon was due to the difficult wartime conditions and the long investigation.
On 17 July 2025, Pavel signed a change to the Czech Criminal Code. This law makes it illegal to publicly promote communist ideology. It puts it on the same legal level as Nazi propaganda.
Political Views
Foreign Policy
Pavel has strong pro-Western views. He believes the Czech Republic should be an active member of the European Union and NATO. He supported Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion. He called it a "war against the system of international relations." He urged for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He believes Ukraine can win the war. He also supports Ukraine joining the NATO alliance after the war ends.
Pavel has said that a soldier defends their country and its people. He believes soldiers fight for the people they care about. He has stated that politicians start wars, and soldiers then have to solve them. He has apologized for a past statement from 1987. In that statement, he seemed to understand the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. He now condemns the invasion.
Domestic Policy
During his presidential campaign, Pavel described his views as "right of centre, with a strong social emphasis." He has suggested that wealthy people should pay higher taxes. He supports a stronger redistribution of wealth. He has mentioned Scandinavian countries as an example.
Personal Life
Petr Pavel speaks Czech, English, French, and Russian. He has two sons from his first marriage to Hana, which ended in divorce. He is now married to his second wife, Eva Pavlová, who is a lieutenant colonel in the Czech Army. Since 2012, Pavel has lived in Černouček. He has a license to carry a concealed firearm. Pavel is an atheist.
Pavel is a big fan of motorcycles. In May 2024, he had a minor accident while riding his motorcycle and was briefly hospitalized. He also led the parade for the 2025 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix at the Brno Circuit on his BMW F 900 GS. He took photos of the MotoGP riders during the event.
Pavel also enjoys the Dakar Rally. He has attended the race to support Czech competitors. He went to the 2025 Dakar Rally during a private trip to Saudi Arabia. He followed the event from a media vehicle and stayed in the bivouac with the racers. One of the race trucks, the Tatra FF7, was named by Pavel. He also took photos at the rally, and his pictures were shown at the National Technical Museum in March. In April, he and his wife hosted an event for Czech Dakar teams at Lány Castle.
Honours and Awards
National Honours
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- Czechoslovakia:
- Medal for Service to the Fatherland (1988)
- Czech Republic:
- Medal of Heroism (1995)
- Medal ribbon For service in the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic
- Medal of Armed Forces of the Czech Republic, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Class
- Cross of Merit of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, 2nd & 3rd Class
- Medal of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic For service abroad, 3rd & 3rd Class
- Honorary Commemorative Badge For the Service of Peace
- State Defence Cross of the Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic (2018)
- Order of the White Lion (ex officio, 2023)
- Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (ex officio, 2023)
Foreign Honours
Belgium: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (2018)
Bulgaria: Badge of Honour of the Ministry of Defence "Saint George", 1st Class (2017)
France:
- Cross for Military Valour with Bronze Star (1993)
- Officer of the Legion of Honour (2012)
- Commander of the National Order of Merit (2016)
Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (4 June 2025)
Slovakia: Member 1st Class of the Order of the White Double Cross (2024)
United Nations: United Nations 'In The Service Of Peace' Medal – UNPROFOR (1993)
United States: Commander of the Legion of Merit (2018)
See also
In Spanish: Petr Pavel para niños
