[2] The presidency has largely been shaped by its inaugural holder, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, who assumed the office after the Czechoslovak declaration of independence was proclaimed in 1918.

Nevertheless, as the bearer of the nation's "Truth prevails" motto, the presidency is widely viewed to be a significant source of prestige, power and moral authority in both domestic and foreign affairs.

[7][8][9] The president, seated at the Prague Castle, has oftentimes been perceived through the prism of the nation's monarchical past.

[10][11] The office has retained the power to grant full pardons, commute criminal penalties and issue amnesties.

[12] The Parliament maintains the sole power of impeachment and the president may only be removed from office by a trial before the Constitutional Court.

[14][15][16] The framers of the Constitution of the Czech Republic intended to set up a parliamentary system, with the prime minister as the country's leading political figure and the de facto chief executive and the president as a ceremonial head of state.

Although the veto may be overridden by parliament with an absolute majority vote (over 50%) of all deputies,[18] the ability to refuse to sign legislation acts as a check on the power of the legislature.

While the president can dissolve the Chamber on his own authority,[19] forcing a new election of that body within 60 days,[20] this can be done only under conditions prescribed by the constitution.

These include all matters having to do with foreign relations and the use of the military, the appointment of judges to lower courts, and the granting of amnesty.

[25][26] In fact, the only specific thing the constitution allows the president to do with respect to the military is to appoint its generals – but even this must be done with the signature of the prime minister.

[22] In other words, Parliament has the power to allow the president whatever responsibilities they deem proper, without necessarily having to amend the constitution.

[30] A newly elected president will begin the five-year term on the day of taking the official oath.

Under Article 58 of the current Czech Constitution, nominees to the office must be put forward by no fewer than 10 Deputies or 10 Senators.

At this stage, a candidate requires an absolute majority of merely those present at the time of voting in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

In 1993, the Republic's first president, Václav Havel, had little difficulty achieving victory on the first round of the first ballot, but his re-election bid proved bumpier.

In 2008, Martin Bursík, leader of the Czech Green Party, said of the 2008 vote, "We are sitting here in front of the public somewhat muddied by backstage horse-trading, poorly concealed meetings with lobbyists and intrigue.

Charles University political scientist Zdeněk Zbořil suggested that direct voting could result in a president and prime minister who were hostile to each other's goals, leading to deadlock.

Using Poland as an unfavourable example, he said that "when someone talks about how our method of selecting the head of state is undignified, he should first weigh the consequences of a direct vote".

By the power of being inaugurated, the president becomes the holder of the highest class of both orders for the duration of his term in office as well as their supreme administrator.