Sobotka, Bohuslav [key], 1971–, Czech politician. Center-left in political philosophy and a member of the Czech Social Democratic party (CSSD) from 1989, Sobotka was first elected to the Czech Chamber of Deputies in 1996. He also served on the Slavkov u Brna town council (1998–2010). Sobotka served as finance minster from 2002 to 2006, and also as deputy prime minister from 2005 to 2006. Chairman of the CSSD from 2011, he was named prime minister in 2014 after the CSSD won a parliamentary plurality, and formed a three-party coalition government. He stepped down as CSSD leader in mid-2017 but remained prime minister. The CSSD suffered significant losses in the subsequent election, and his government resigned in late 2017.
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