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The government of the Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats, led by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, tendered its resignation on Wednesday after the constituent session of the newly-elected Chamber of Deputies.

“We have moved the Czech Republic forward. We had four years of stability, continuous economic growth and a record-low poverty, Mr Sobotka said during his speech at the lower house. He also highlighted his government was only the third to complete a full four-year mandate.

Czechs donated 7.5 billion crowns to charity last year, which is around half a billion more than in the previous year, according to figures released by the Czech Donors Forum on Wednesday.

Private donors provided 1.8 billion, firms donated 3.7 million and foundations and funds secured 1.4 billion crowns. Public collections raised 600 million crowns, with 30 million donated via donation text messages.

The exhibition by top Czech sculptor Krištof Kintera at Prague’s Galerie Rudofinum has attracted over 120, 000 visitors and has become the fourth most successful exhibition in the Czech Republic in the past four years. Entry to the exhibition, entitled Nervous Trees, is free, with the event prolonged until December 27.

The outgoing Minister for Regional Development, Karla Šlechtová from the ANO party, has confirmed that she is a candidate to be defence minister in the minority cabinet prepared by the ANO leader Andrej Babiš, Czech Television reported.

Mr Babiš submitted a list of ministerial candidates to President Miloš Zeman at their meeting at Prague Castle earlier on Tuesday. He refused to release the ministers’ names, saying that the president wanted to meet them before the announcement was made.