Authored by Thomas Brooke via Remix News,
Slovakia’s parliament has approved a constitutional amendment defining gender strictly as male and female, a move that has sparked both celebration among conservatives and fierce criticism from liberal and pro-European parties.
The measure, which required 90 votes to pass, was adopted on Friday after two deputies from the opposition Movement Slovakia broke ranks and supported the government’s proposal. Marek Krajčí and Rastislav Krátký, who had publicly pledged not to vote with Prime Minister Robert Fico’s ruling Smer party, switched positions at the last minute. They later said they wanted to help their allies in the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which strongly backed the change.
The amendment, which takes effect on Nov. 1, enshrines “two genders – man and woman” in the Constitution of the Slovak Republic. It also bans surrogacy, reinforces parental rights in schools, and defines marriage and parenthood in strictly biological terms.
The text states that the new rules are intended to protect “traditional values” and Slovakia’s “sovereignty in cultural and ethical matters.”
It also ensures that EU law cannot override issues related to such matters, as lawmakers effectively ignored warnings from Brussels not to follow through with the amendment.
European Commissioner for Justice Michael McGrath penned a letter to Bratislava earlier this summer stating that the proposed amendments “raise concerns in connection with the principles of the primacy of European law.”
“The primacy of EU law is not open for debate,” he warned.
Robert Fico hailed the result, thanking “influential people” who helped secure support, though he declined to name them. He said his party had made clear that Friday’s vote would be the last chance to anchor such provisions in the constitution.
The Christian Democrats welcomed the outcome. Party leader Milan Majerský said the amendment safeguarded human dignity and praised the deputies who ensured its adoption. “The constitution protects women in connection with surrogacy, but also children and families,” he said.
But liberal and centrist parties condemned the result. Michal Šimečka, leader of Progressive Slovakia, called the amendment “shameful” and said it would harm the country’s citizens while raising questions about Slovakia’s place in the European Union. He accused the Movement Slovakia of betraying its voters by siding with Fico. “After this, there can be no thought of cooperation with them,” he said.
Branislav Gröhling, leader of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), also criticized the two deputies who switched sides. “One night was enough for the anti-corruption movement to change its mind and support Robert Fico,” he said. SaS lawmaker Mária Kolíková warned that the change could put Slovakia’s EU funding and membership in the Council of Europe at risk.
The right-wing Republic movement and the nationalist Slovak National Party welcomed the vote, calling it a historic moment that confirmed Slovakia’s commitment to traditional values.