Slovak govt falls after losing key vote

PRAGUE/BRATISLAVA — Slovakia's coalition government fell on Thursday after losing a no-confidence vote in parliament called by the opposition following months of political crisis, in a development that could lead to an early election.

In the country's 150-seat Parliament, 78 lawmakers — two more than the 76 needed — voted to oust the three-party minority government of Prime Minister Eduard Heger. Three coalition lawmakers voted against the government.

The liberal Freedom and Solidarity party, which requested the vote, withdrew from the coalition government in September. Freedom and Solidarity head Richard Sulik accused the government of incompetence and losing its anti-corruption drive.

"Finally," Sulik commented on the government's collapse.

President Zuzana Caputova will have to appoint a new prime minister. Several opposition and coalition parties have indicated they would prefer an early election. A two-thirds parliamentary majority would be needed to hold such an election.

Caputova might ask Heger's government to stay in office with reduced powers until an early vote can take place.

Recent polls suggested that the opposition would stand a good chance to win a snap ballot.

"It's the best possible Christmas present for the people of Slovakia," former prime minister Peter Pellegrini, who heads the leftist opposition Voice-Social Democracy party, said of the result of the vote.

Slovakia's next regularly scheduled parliamentary election is not until February 2024.

The vote was the latest step in a long-term political crisis in Slovakia.

"It will be very difficult to find a new functioning government," analyst Samuel Abraham told TA3 news. "This crisis will continue."

Freedom and Solidarity said before its departure from the government that it was not willing to stay because of disagreements with Finance Minister Igor Matovic, a populist leader whose Ordinary People party won the 2020 parliamentary election.

Sulik clashed with Matovic on a number of issues, including how to tackle soaring inflation driven by high energy prices amid Russia's military operation of Ukraine. They also disagreed on how to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Freedom and Solidarity had given Heger a deadline until the end of August to reshuffle the Cabinet and rule without Matovic, saying that its four ministers would resign otherwise.

Matovic's Ordinary People party originally rejected that option. In a last-minute effort to save the government, Matovic offered his resignation on Thursday. But it was too late.

"We have no confidence in this government," Freedom and Solidarity said in a statement.

Xinhua