Mirek Topolanek's Civic Democratic minority cabinet resigns

The Civic Democratic minority cabinet of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has submitted its resignation to President Vaclav Klaus. Mr. Topolanek met with Mr. Klaus at Prague Castle on Wednesday afternoon at 13:30, after the cabinet's morning session where the expected step was approved. The minority Civic Democratic cabinet failed to win a vote of confidence in the lower house last week, triggering the fall of the first attempt at a government in the Czech Republic since the June elections. President Klaus has requested that the outgoing government remain in place until after the October 21st local and senate elections.

During Wednesday afternoon's meeting at Prague Castle, Mr. Klaus said that four governments have resigned during his three-an-a-half years in office—only one as a result of an election—and that this high number of politically-inspired resignations says something about the situation in the Czech Republic.

On Thursday, President Klaus plans to begin meetings concerning the formation of a new government. Social Democratic leader Jiri Paroubek says that he should be entrusted with the second attempt at forming a government. It remains unclear who President Klaus will choose to entrust with the task.