Bratislava (Slovakia), Dec 15 (AP) Slovakia's coalition government has fallen after losing a parliamentary no-confidence vote Thursday, a move that could lead to an early election.

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.

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The liberal Freedom and Solidarity party, which requested the vote, withdrew from the coalition government in September.

Freedom and Solidarity head Richard Sulik accused the government of incompetence and losing its anti-corruption drive.

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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.

Caputova might ask Heger's government to stay in office with reduced powers until an early vote can take place.

The opposition would stand a good chance to win such a snap ballot, recent polls suggested.

Slovakia's next regularly scheduled parliamentary election is not until February 2024. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)