Slovak President Zuzana Caputova dissolved Prime Minister Eduard Heger's three-party minority government on Friday, after it lost a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The vote has been called by the opposition following months of political crisis.

Caputova asked Heger and his cabinet to stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new government can be formed, but also said that political leaders should look at steps to call early elections in the first half of next year.

"It is apparent from reactions of political leaders after yesterday's parliamentary decision that there is no will to form a new government with parliamentary support," the president said.

"Therefore I want to ask you and other political leaders to take all the steps necessary so that steps leading to an early parliamentary election are taken by the end of January at the latest," she told Heger.

The ruling coalition took power in 2020 but lost its majority in September.

(With input from Reuters)