The prime minister of the Czech Republic, Mirek Topolanek, formally resigned yesterday, two days after his three-party coalition government lost a parliamentary vote of no confidence.

President Vaclav Klaus accepted the resignation and asked the premier and the Cabinet to govern until a new government can be appointed.

Klaus, who will have to appoint a new premier, said he would prefer the crisis to be solved quickly, given the global economic downturn and the country's obligations with the Czech Republic holding the rotating European Union presidency.

Quick solution needed

"A solution must be quick," Klaus said. "Time matters significantly."

Lawmakers in parliament's lower house voted 101-96 on Tuesday to oust the government. The move deeply embarrassed the Czech leader, coming just days before a visit by President Barack Obama and midway through the country's European Union presidency.

Klaus said he wants a new premier before the country completes the EU presidency at the end of June, saying it was unacceptable to have Topolanek stay on for a long time as a caretaker.

Topolanek had reassured European leaders just a day earlier that his government's collapse will have no effect on the country's EU presidency. He also made news worldwide by saying that Obama's plan to spend nearly $2 trillion to boost the US economy was "the road to hell" that European nations should avoid.