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On 14 June 2017, Sobotka announced his resignation as Leader of ČSSD due to low opinion polling prior to the 2017 legislative election but opted to stay on as prime minister. He was re-elected MP in his South Moravia and in December 2017 was succeeded by Andrej Babiš. On 31 March 2018, Sobotka retired from the Chamber of Deputies citing personal reasons.
As the finance minister, Sobotka formed an advisory body of economists, later becoming the National Economic Council of the Czech government. His austerity policy included the dismissal of employees and restrictions on savings accounts and health benefits, a policy he later criticized. When Jiří Paroubek became the new prime minister in 2005, Sobotka reduced his restrictions which led to an increase in the deficit.[3]
Sobotka was elected to the chamber again in 2006 but his party lost the election and went into opposition. Sobotka became Minister of Finance in a shadow cabinet of Social Democrats. His party won legislative election in 2010 but failed to form a governing coalition and remained in opposition.[citation needed]
Sobotka then served as interim leader of ČSSD after the resignation of Jiří Paroubek following the election. He also briefly served as interim chairman in 2006, after the resignation of Stanislav Gross. Sobotka was elected chairman of the party on 18 March 2011, when he defeatedMichal Hašek who became the first deputy chairman.[4] On 18 March 2011, Sobotka was officially elected the party chairman.[2]
Leader of ČSSD
Sobotka led his party in the 2013 Czech legislative election, gaining 20.45% of votes as his party won.[citation needed] After leading his party for some seven years, Sobotka resigned on 15 June 2017 as leader of the Social Democratic Party after some opinion polls showed his party with a support of 10%, saying that "the party has to undergo deeper changes so that it will be able to address people better and mobilize its supporters and members” ahead of the 2017 legislative election.[5] However, Sobotka decided to compete in the election as the party leader in the South Moravian Region. After his resignation, Minister of Interior Milan Chovanec assumed the position of acting leader of the ČSSD, while Minister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek became the party candidate for Prime Minister.
Prime Minister (2014–17)
Sobotka with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Warsaw, 19 June 2017
Bohuslav Sobotka's views on the Czech Republic's membership in the European Union as prime minister were relatively positive. Sobotka noted that membership of the Czech Republic in the European Union is a benefit. He has also said that membership provides better security measures and economic stability.[6] However, in early 2016, Sobotka said there would be a national debate on the country's place in the European Union in the case of British withdrawal from it.[7]
In December 2016, Sobotka called for higher corporate taxes, stating: "The way taxation is set up right now it only obliges the big and rich players, who export their profits out of the Czech Republic. Annually, these sums amount to 200 to 300 billion Czech koruna."[9]
On 2 May 2017, Sobotka announced that he would resign because he could not bear responsibility for Finance Minister Andrej Babiš. Sobotka stated that Babiš failed to clear up questions surrounding questionable financial transactions connected to his business activity.[10] Sobotka changed his mind on 5 May 2017, and instead decided to dismis Babiš from his cabinet.[11]
On 15 June 2017, Sobotka resigned as party leader of ČSSD.[12]
Post-premiership
Sobotka returned to his hometown of Vyškov in January 2018 and stated that he plans to restart his political career. Members of local ČSSD stated they do not intend for him to run in the upcoming municipal election.[13] On 22 March 2018, Sobotka announced that he would resign as a member of the Chamber of Deputies (MP), effective April 1 April 2018.[14]
Personal life
Sobotka married Olga Sobotková between 2003 and 2018, with whom he has two sons named David and Martin. In his free time, Sobotka reads historical mystery, sci-fi, and contemporary literature. He also spends his time watching theater performances and local films at the cinema.[15]
^"Mgr. Bohuslav Sobotka". NašiPolitici.cz (in Czech). Nadační fond proti korupci. Archived from the original on 2 December 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
^Brožová, Karolina (17 January 2014). "Sobotkova dlouhá cesta". Týden (in Czech). W Press. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
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