Czechia withdraws from Brussels think tank BIG: Minister Macinka accuses it of pushing EU "federalization"

The Czech government has approved the country's withdrawal from membership in the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics (BIG). The announcement was made at a recent government press conference by Foreign Minister Petr Macinka of the Motoristé (Motorists) party.

According to the minister, the decision stems from the claim that BIG is essentially a "federalization institution," and that leaving it will save the Ministry of Foreign Affairs around 70,000 euros in membership fees — roughly 1.7 million crowns.

The BIG institute was founded in 2022 by academics together with the governments of the Netherlands, France, and Germany. Its creation was prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which caught many in the West off guard. The think tank's goal was to study emerging geopolitical trends worldwide and their impact on Europe.

Czechia was invited to join by Dutch historian Luuk van Middelaar, one of BIG's founders. He personally approached Tomáš Pojar, then an advisor to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who initially replied that he had no time for it. Later, however, the Fiala government did join the institute, making Czechia the only post-communist country among a dozen Western European members.

BIG's official launch took place in October 2022 in Prague, during a summit of European leaders held while Czechia held the EU Council presidency. Notably, the Czech representative was absent from the commemorative photo taken on the balcony of the Grzanský Palace.

Asked to specify exactly how the institute's "federalizing" character manifests itself, Macinka gave a vague answer: "I've read some of the conclusions, which really do strengthen the federalizing dimension of the European Union. And our government doesn't agree with that." He did not clarify which conclusions he meant, adding only that "it brings us nothing," and that the money saved could be spent elsewhere.

BIG representatives say they were notified of Czechia's withdrawal in advance, though the decision still came as a surprise — the Czech side had never previously complained about the institute being overly pro-European. Since BIG's founding, Denmark, Ireland, and Spain have joined it, and until now no country other than Czechia has ever left.

Observers note that the move looks more like a symbolic gesture aimed at Motoristé voters than the result of any substantive analysis. Tellingly, just last year van Middelaar spoke at the "Europe as a Task" conference at Prague Castle, where President Petr Pavel delivered the keynote address.

By the Around Prague newsroom