Czech President Milos Zeman appointed economist Jiri Rusnok as prime minister on Tuesday, June 25 setting up a clash with outgoing centre-right coalition parties which had pushed for their own candidate, Reuters said.

Rusnok, a leftist finance and industry minister in 2001-2003, will replace Petr Necas who resigned last week in a bribery and spying scandal that involved his close aide. Rusnok may fail to win a confidence vote in parliament, extending political instability in the central European country.