Slovak government falls after losing no-confidence vote

By KAREL JANICEK
Associated Press

PRAGUE (AP) — Slovakia’s coalition government has fallen after losing a parliamentary no-confidence vote. In the country’s 150-seat parliament, 78 lawmakers, two more than 76 needed, voted to oust the three-party minority government of Prime Minister Eduard Heger on Thursday. President Zuzana Caputova will have to appoint a new prime minister. The liberal Freedom and Solidarity party, which requested the vote, withdrew from the coalition government in September. The party’s leader accused the government of incompetence. 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.