Czech President Vaclav Klaus accepted Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's resignation today and said a new majority-backed cabinet must be formed soon to tackle the economic crisis and the Czech EU presidency, Reuters reported. Topolanek quit after several government defectors joined forces with the leftist opposition in a no-confidence vote on Tuesday, toppling the minority cabinet amid a severe economic downturn and halfway through the six-month EU leadership term. The eurosceptic Klaus has the sole right to appoint the new prime minister and until the nominee forms his cabinet, the old centre-right three-party administration will remain in office. The main parties have said a new cabinet should lead the country toward an early election. "The solution must be quick...due to the economic crisis and the EU presidency, which must be run by a fully functioning government," Klaus told reporters.
