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Stanislav Gross (born October 30, 1969 in Prague) is the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic for the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD).
Gross studied at an industrial school, specializing in electric traction, and shortly worked for the Czechoslovakian state railways company (České dráhy) as en engine-driver trainee. After the 1989 Velvet Revolution, Gross become member of the Social Democratic party and was a member of parliament since 1992 till September 21, 2004 when he resigned together with most of his government to be able to concentrate on executive duties better.
After heading the Young Social Democrats from 1990 to 1992, Gross became the interior minister of the Czech Republic on April 5, 2000, and deputy prime minister on July 15, 2002, when the government of Vladimír Špidla took office. During his political career he studied at the Law Faculty of Charles University in Prague 1993-1999. Stanislav Gross is married (second time) and has two daughters.
In the 2004 EP Election ČSSD lost badly which led to resignation of Špidla on July 26 from both government and party functions. Gross was appointed PM by the President on August 4, 2004 and his government rearranged on August 24. He chose Frantisek Bublan to replace him at the ministry. He is also acting chairman of the party until the convention in March 2005 for which he has gained most nominations so far against Zdenek Škromach who represents more left-leaning wing of the party.
Gross has been trying to modernize the party a la Tony Blair's recipe (as well as centralize the power in his hands) while battling the budget deficit and growing public dissatisfaction with the government; for this he is criticised by the left wing of the party, now badly split, as giving in to the demand of small liberal and Christian coalition parties and betraying traditional Social Democratic values.
The billboard campaign centered on his youthful face before the autumn regional assembly and Senate elections seemed succesful at first, but ČSSD lost badly in the end.
The parliament opposition criticises him for his youth connected with virtually no life experience outside politics and lack of knowledge of foreign languages; also various practices of police and secret services under his term have been criticised (term "grosstapo" has proven catchy with the public).
In Febuary 2005 he is facing a scandal with unclear financing of purchase of his flat.
See also:
List of Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic
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