Slovak 4-party coalition loses a member, keeps majority

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – Slovakia’s ruling four-party coalition government has lost one of its members, but will maintain a parliamentary majority.

Five lawmakers from the smallest coalition partner, the conservative Net party, quit earlier this week to join a parliamentary faction of a party of ethnic Hungarians. The switch left the Net with just two lawmakers.

Prime Minister Robert Fico says Net chairman Roman Brecely will resign as transport minister, the only ministry the party held. Fico says the Net is likely to be integrated with an unspecified coalition party.

Fico’s leftist Smer-Social Democracy party dominates the government formed after it won the March parliamentary election with eight government posts.

The Net attacked Fico in the pre-election campaign, but lost popularity after it joined his government.