Slovakia’s prime minister forms new party before early vote

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s prime minister says he’s creating a new centrist political party before the country’s early election in September. The name of the new party is the Democrats. The move means that Prime Minister Eduard Heger is leaving the Ordinary People political movement led by former populist Prime Minister Igor Matovič. Heger’s announcement on Tuesday came after his coalition government lost a parliamentary no-confidence vote in December. The opposition called the early vote following months of political crisis. President Zuzana Čaputová asked Heger’s Cabinet to stay in office with reduced powers as a caretaker government. The early election will take place on Sept. 30. Recent polls say the opposition stands a good chance to win an early ballot.