Marián Čalfa

Marián Čalfa (born 7 May 1946, in Trebišov) is a Slovak former politician, who served as prime minister of Czechoslovakia during and after the Velvet Revolution in 1989, as well as de facto acting President for 19 days.When President Gustáv Husák resigned shortly after swearing in the government, Čalfa also took on most presidential duties until the election of Václav Havel on 29 December.On 18 January 1990, Čalfa left the KSČ to join Public Against Violence (VPN), the Slovak counterpart of Havel's Civic Forum, thus becoming the first prime minister since before World War II who was not a Communist or a fellow traveler.Both cabinets headed by Čalfa succeeded in introducing significant political and economic reforms, facilitating the transition from Communist rule to a multi-party system and a market-oriented economy.He used his negotiation skills in critical moments against his fellow Communist Party members and talked them into compromises that were sometimes more radical than the representatives of the Civic Forum had expected.
Prime Minister of CzechoslovakiaVáclav HavelLadislav AdamecJan StráskýTrebišovCzechoslovakiaCommunist Party of CzechoslovakiaPublic Against ViolenceCivic Democratic Union (Slovakia)Velvet RevolutionPresidentCommunistGustáv HusákCivic ForumWorld War IIfellow travelerSocial DemocratZdeněk Fierlinger1990 electionsVáclav KlausDissolution of CzechoslovakialawyerPraguenomenklaturapower behind the throneRespektPresident of CzechoslovakiaPrime ministersFirst Czechoslovak RepublicKarel KramářVlastimil TusarJan ČernýEdvard BenešAntonín ŠvehlaFrantišek UdržalJan MalypetrMilan HodžaJan SyrovýSecond Czechoslovak RepublicRudolf BeranGerman occupationProtectorateAlois EliášJaroslav KrejčíRichard BienertFirst Slovak RepublicJozef TisoVojtech TukaŠtefan TisoGovernment-in-exileJan ŠrámekThird Czechoslovak RepublicKlement GottwaldCzechoslovak Socialist RepublicAntonín ZápotockýViliam ŠirokýJozef LenártOldřich ČerníkLubomír ŠtrougalCzech and Slovak Federative Republic