Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas who said he was stepping down Sunday survived eight gruelling confidence motions before an alleged love affair gone wrong ended his career a year before scheduled elections. The bespectacled 48-year-old physicist, in office since July 2010, paid dearly for trusting Jana Nagyova, his chief of staff -- and alleged lover -- who was indicted Friday for bribery and complicity in abuse of power. Police said she had asked military spies to tail Necas's wife, Radka. Necas announced earlier this week the marriage was over after was 25 years.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas said Sunday he would step down amid a massive corruption scandal in which his top aide -- and alleged lover -- was indicted for bribery. "I will step down as prime minister tomorrow. I am aware of my political responsibility," Necas told reporters after talks in Prague with partners in his centre-right minority coalition government in power since July 2010. "When I step down the entire government will step down in line with the constitution," said Necas.

By Alexandra Hudson DRESDEN (Reuters) - Germany's Left party set an election platform attacking capitalism head on this weekend, avowing old school socialism and making any later coalition pact with the mainstream opposition seem all but impossible. If the Left party and the center-left opposition Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens joined forces they could match Merkel's center-right government in strength, possibly even ousting the chancellor after the September 22 vote.

By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Europe is in a bind over what to do about Hungary and a feeling that the former Soviet satellite is drifting back towards authoritarianism under Prime Minister Viktor Orban. In the next few weeks the European Union's parliament and executive are due to pass judgment on changes to Hungary's new constitution along with the Council of Europe, a broader body that promotes democracy and human rights on the continent.