Czech Senate rejects China's role in Dalai Lama succession

Representative Thinlay Chukki of the Central Tibetan Administration with the senators who supported the resolution

On March 25, 2026, the Czech Senate passed a landmark resolution defending the religious freedom of the Tibetan people and explicitly excluding China from any role in determining the next Dalai Lama. The resolution was adopted with 40 votes in favour and none against — a unanimous signal of solidarity with Tibet.

China has no legitimate authority

The resolution’s central declaration is that the People’s Republic of China has “no legitimate authority” to select the successor to the 14th Dalai Lama. The Senate asserts that the selection of the 15th Dalai Lama is “the exclusive matter of the Tibetan people” and recognises the Ganden Phodrang as the sole authority in identifying the future reincarnation.

Senate Vice-President Jitka Seitlova presenting the resolution during the plenary session

The resolution was proposed by Senate Vice-President Jitka Seitlova and supported by Senators Přemysl Rabas, Břetislav Rychlík, and Jiří Růžička. Seitlova emphasised the resolution’s broader human rights significance: “This is not merely a regional matter. Restricting freedom, curtailing identity, and undermining human rights anywhere affects the security and values we cherish worldwide.”

Compared to dictating a papal election

Senator Přemysl Rabas drew a sharp comparison: China’s attempts to control Dalai Lama succession are equivalent to the EU dictating who becomes the next Pope. He noted the resolution also addresses the recently adopted Chinese Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, which further restricts the rights of ethnic minorities.

Senator Přemysl Rabas speaking during the debate in the Czech Senate

Senator Břetislav Rychlík recounted testimonies from Tibetan exile communities, including children stripped of their language and culture in state-run boarding schools, describing these measures as “a massive attempt at genocide against a historic nation.”

Concern over Chinese assimilation law

The Senate also expressed grave concern about China’s “Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress,” adopted on March 12, 2026. This law claims extraterritorial reach — including over EU citizens who support Tibetan identity. The resolution points to more than a hundred illegal foreign police stations, including one in Prague, used to intimidate and monitor the Tibetan diaspora.

Senator Břetislav Rychlík after the adoption of the resolution

Senate Vice-President Jiří Oberfalzer welcomed Thinlay Chukki, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration, noting her presence as “a sign of the Senate’s solidarity with Tibetans facing repression in China.”

Diplomatic context

The resolution builds on a longstanding warm relationship between the Czech Republic and Tibet, rooted in the legacy of President Václav Havel. A parliamentary delegation visited Dharamshala in December 2025, and President Petr Pavel met with the Dalai Lama in July 2025. The Czech Republic now joins a growing list of nations — including the US, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the European Union — that have publicly affirmed Tibetan religious freedom and the right of Tibetans to determine their own spiritual leadership.

Thinlay Chukki responded after the vote: “The Czech Senate has today sent a clear and powerful message to the world: spiritual heritage cannot be legislated by an authoritarian state.”

China reacted on March 27, 2026, with sharp criticism, stating the resolution “grossly interfered” in China’s internal affairs. The Czech Senate remained unswayed by this position.