Czech Republic's government falls
Last Updated: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 | 4:31 PM ET
The Associated Press
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, centre, talks to reporters after the Chamber of Deputies voted no confidence in his centre-right government in Prague on Tuesday. (Rene Volfik/CTK/Associated Press)The Czech Republic's three-party coalition government collapsed Tuesday, narrowly losing a parliamentary vote of no-confidence.
The motion to oust the government, partly over its handling of the economic crisis, was supported by 101 members of the 200-seat lower house.
The result means Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's cabinet must now resign.
It's not immediately clear who will be picked by President Vaclav Klaus to try to form a new coalition. If three attempts to form a government fail, early elections must be called.
The Czech Republic currently holds the European Union's rotating presidency and U.S. President Barack Obama will visit Prague next week for talks with Czech and European leaders.
"The government got what it deserved," said former prime minister Jiri Paroubek, who leads the opposition Social Democratic party.
Opposition legislators have become increasingly frustrated with Topolanek's administration as the effects of the global financial crisis hit the eastern European country.
Before the crisis, the Czech economy had been growing fast, but the country is expected to enter a recession this year. Annual industrial output fell 23.3 per cent in January.
The opposition said the government has acted too late and done too little — approving a stimulus package last month worth 70 billion koruna ($3.5 billion US), including measures for investments in ecology and infrastructure along with tax cuts and loan guarantees.
"It was not able to handle the affects of the economic crisis on the Czech economy," Paroubek said. But he added that he would not be against Topolanek's government staying in office until the end of the Czech term leading the EU presidency.
The European Union executive said it had "full trust" that the Czech Republic would be able to continue its duties until its term in the presidency ends June 30.
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