Nečas, Petr

Nečas, Petr pĕtˈər nĕˈchäs [key], 1964–, Czech politician. Trained as a physicist, he graduated (1988) from Brno's Uherske Science Univ. and taught (1983–88) at Masaryk Univ., Brno. After working as a scientific researcher (1988–92), Nečas, who had joined the center-right Civic Democrat party (ODS) in 1991, became (1992) a member of the Czech parliament and was named (1995) deputy minister of defense. In 2006 he became minister of labor and social affairs and shortly thereafter deputy prime minister. A strong advocate of free-market economics, Nečas also earned a reputation for political pragmatism and is known for his strong commitment to the European Union and NATO. In 2010 he was elected head of the ODS and subsequently became prime minister of a center-right coalition government. In 2013 he and his government resigned after his chief of staff (whom Nečas later married) was accused of bribery and abuse of power; initially acquitted (2015), she was convicted (2017) of abuse of power after a retrial. Nečas was charged in 2014 with bribery in the case.

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