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Czech president seeks new PM designate

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, Oct. 11 (UPI) -- The Czech Republic's president Wednesday accepted Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek's resignation and began seeking a new Cabinet chief.

The rightist minority government failed to win a confidence vote in parliament Oct. 3, and President Vaclav Klaus formally approved Topolanek's resignation, the Serbian news agency Beta reported.

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Klaus planned talks Thursday with leaders of the five parliamentary parties to select a prime minister designate to form a new government.

Topolanek and his government ministers will keep their posts until a new Cabinet is composed.

In June general elections, neither rightists not leftists won enough parliamentary seats to form a government on their own.

Topolanek's conservatives won 81 seats, the most of all parties in the 200-seat lower house of parliament, but it was not enough to form a government without coalition supporters.

Former Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek's leftists won 74 seats and their government resigned Aug. 16.

On Sept. 4, Klaus appointed Topolanek as prime minister and gave him 30 days to work before seeking a confidence vote.

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