Nieuwe Tsjechische premier Stanislav Gross (34) is jongste regeringsleider in Europa (en)

The Czech Republic is to have the youngest prime minister in the European Union - the 34-year old Stanislav Gross, who was nominated today by President Vaclav Klaus.

The appointment of Mr Gross, a social democrat, follows the resignation of his fellow party member and former Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, after a heavy defeat in last June's European Parliament elections.

Mr Gross is expected to sign a coalition agreement on 1 August with the centrist Christian Democats and the right-liberal Freedom Union - the same parties that formed part of Mr Spidla's cabinet.

The three parties will have a majority of only 101 of 200 seats in the Czech parliament.

In order to convince the Czech President Klaus of the viability of the newly-formed coalition, MPs from the three parties all had to illustrate their support for the new government before Mr Gross could be nominated.

The Gross government is meant to stay in office until 2006, when national elections are to be held.

The new Czech premier is a former locomotive technician, who entered the Czech parliament at the age of 22.

After having served for four years as interior minister, he will now become the youngest prime minister in the history of the Czech republic.

Mr Gross said after he was nominated, according to Reuters: "I feel a great responsibility, and take this very personally. I will try not to disappoint".

Meanwhile, the outgoing Mr Spidla has been nominated as the new Czech member of the European Commission from 1 November.

He will succeed the current Czech Commissioner, Pavel Telicka.