BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (BN24) — Slovakia’s parliament has narrowly approved a controversial constitutional amendment that legally recognizes only two sexes—male and female—and restricts child adoption exclusively to married heterosexual couples. The sweeping legal change, passed Thursday, also effectively bans surrogacy, drawing immediate criticism from human rights groups and deepening concerns over the country’s political shift.
The amendment, described by lawmakers as affirming “sovereignty in cultural and ethical matters,” required 90 votes in the 150-member Slovak National Council. Prime Minister Robert Fico’s populist-nationalist coalition controls only 78 seats, but a last-minute alliance with 12 opposition lawmakers helped push the measure across the line. Among them were several members of the conservative Christian Democrats and defectors from former Prime Minister Igor Matovic’s Slovakia movement, an act Matovic later condemned as betrayal.
The constitutional change redefines key aspects of family and gender law in Slovakia, aligning it more closely with the legal frameworks of Hungary and Russia, both of which have imposed restrictions on LGBTQ rights in recent years. Amnesty International and other rights groups warned that the amendment risks marginalizing LGBTQ individuals and undermining democratic values.
Fico celebrated the vote with open defiance of progressive criticism. “This isn’t a little dam, or just a regular dam, this is a great dam against progressivism,” he said after the vote, adding that his party would toast the result with a shot of liquor. In past remarks, Fico likened liberal ideology to a “cancer” spreading through society.
President Peter Pellegrini confirmed he would sign the amendment, calling the strong majority in parliament “an important signal” of national unity on a divisive issue. “It must be respected,” he said.
Legal experts say the move may provoke clashes with the European Union, especially as Slovakia asserts the primacy of its national constitution over EU law. Analysts also speculate that the amendment is a political maneuver to distract from Fico’s falling approval ratings and unpopular economic measures.
“The Slovak constitution has fallen victim to Robert Fico’s plan to dismantle the opposition and divert attention from the real problems of society,” said Beata Balagova, editor-in-chief of the Slovak daily SME. She argued that Fico’s interest in gender and adoption issues is more strategic than ideological.
The vote has also fractured Slovakia’s political alliances. Progressive Slovakia, currently leading in national polls, denounced the amendment and announced an end to any future cooperation with Matovic’s party. Most opposition MPs boycotted the session.
The consequences of the vote may extend to Slovakia’s place within the broader European political landscape. Fico’s Smer-Social Democracy party, already suspended from the Party of European Socialists (PES) for its far-right alliances, is reportedly facing permanent expulsion at the upcoming PES conference. The Slovak leader has faced mounting criticism from EU partners, particularly after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin four times within the past year.
As Slovakia moves forward with the newly ratified constitutional changes, tensions between Bratislava and Brussels appear set to escalate, with human rights and democratic governance at the center of the storm.
