'They can't feel it through a diaper': Czech MP says it's ok to spank toddlers

Czech Member of Parliament Nina Nováková of the conservative Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) party—in the current government coalition—has voiced opposition to a proposed legal amendment that would declare corporal punishment of children unacceptable. The change, part of a broader government effort to simplify divorce proceedings, is currently in its second reading in the Chamber of Deputies.

Nováková has introduced her own amendment seeking to remove the declaration. “The law should contain what we are not allowed to do, and there should be a penalty for it,” she told Czech media outlet Novinky.cz. She argued that the provision unfairly targets “decent, loving parents” and suggested that proportional, physical corrections, such as slapping a two-year-old on the bottom, can be appropriate forms of discipline.

“Besides, almost all two-year-olds are in diapers, so they don’t even feel it,” she argued in defense of her stance.

According to Nováková, occasional physical punishment may help young children understand boundaries. “If I do it all the time, the child would get used to it, and it has no effect,” she added. She also mentioned other forms of discipline, such as using a light smack on the head, though she admitted it was no longer her preferred method.

The proposed amendment to the Civil Code explicitly states that parental responsibilities should exclude physical punishment, mental hardship, and other humiliating measures. The government coalition, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, had reached a consensus on the wording after extensive debate.

Nováková’s position has drawn criticism, even within her own party. KDU-ČSL parliamentary leader Marek Výborný distanced himself from her proposal, stating it is not representative of the party’s stance. "Children deserve our protection," Výborný wrote on social media, adding that he would not support the amendment.

Justice Minister Pavel Blažek of the co-ruling Civic Democrats party also confirmed that Nováková had not consulted him or his department about her initiative. Party members criticized her for acting independently, with Výborný calling her actions a violation of parliamentary club rules.

MP Barbora Urbanová (Mayors and Independents party,) wrote on X: “We would like to ask MP Nováková what children have done to her in her life that she wants to remove 'unacceptability of physical punishment and mental hardship on children' from the Civil Code because it is redundant."

Nováková defended her proposal, arguing that modern, non-authoritative parenting gives children too much freedom. However, child psychologists, including Czech ones, have opposed physical punishment, advocating for verbal explanations as more effective disciplinary methods.

The amendment is expected to proceed to further readings in the legislature.

Meanwhile, a new public-service campaign launched by the Locika Center argues that corporal punishment increases the risk of children developing aggressive or risky behaviors, along with long-term psychological issues, according to the campaign’s organizers.

At the heart of the campaign is the symbolic “cooking wooden spoon,” which Locika identifies as an object that over 63 percent of Czech parents reportedly use for corporal punishment.

The campaign also calls on lawmakers to include a clear statement in the Civil Code amendment, affirming the unacceptability of physical punishment for children.

Czechia remains one of the last EU countries without a law requiring parents to raise children free from physical punishment and emotional hardship.