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M. Continuo

Czech deputy PM quits party, may stay in government


    PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech Vice Prime Minister Karolina Peake quit her junior ruling Public Affairs party on Tuesday but said she would respect the government's coalition agreement and be open to cooperating with other deputies from her party.

    Peake stopped short of saying she would leave her post and said she would speak to Prime Minister Petr Necas about her situation on Wednesday at a government meeting.

    Peake's departure follows a tumultuous period of infighting in the scandal-plagued Public Affairs party that almost led to the three-party government's collapse earlier this month.

    (Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Writing by Michael Winfrey)