Politics of Slovakia


Politics of Slovakia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, with a multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in the parliament and it can be exercised in some cases also by the government or directly by citizens.
Executive power is exercised by the government led by the Prime Minister. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The President is the head of the state. According to the V-Dem Democracy indices Slovakia was in 2023 the 18th most electoral democratic country in the world.

History

Before the Velvet Revolution, Czechoslovakia was a socialist dictatorship ruled by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, technically together with the coalition of the so-called National Front. Before the free democratic elections could take place after the revolution, a transitional government was created.
In 1989, President of Czechoslovakia Gustáv Husák was sworn in the Government of National Understanding led by Marián Čalfa with the former being abdicated. It consisted of ten communists and nine non-communists with the aim to prepare for democratic elections, establish market economy in the country, and start preparing a new constitution.
Between 8 and 9 June 1990, the parliamentary election, 1990|Czechoslovak parliamentary election of 1990] took place. Čalfa's second government disbanded on 27 June 1990 when it was replaced by the Government of National Sacrifice, also headed by Marián Čalfa. From 5 until 6 June 1992, the last elections in Czechoslovakia, the Czechoslovak parliamentary election of 1992 took place. Čalfa's third government disbanded on 2 July 1992, when it was replaced by the Caretaker Government of Jan Stráský, headed by Jan Stráský. The caretaker government disbanded on 31 December 1992 together with the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
Due to federalism after the Velvet Revolution, two national governments were created as well under the federal Czechoslovak government. In Slovakia it was headed by Milan Čič and it was established on 12 December 1989 and disbanded on 26 June 1990. Between 8 and 9 June 1990, the 1990 Slovak parliamentary election took place together with the federal Czechoslovak elections. Čič's government was followed by the First Government of Vladimír Mečiar, Government of Ján Čarnogurský and the Second Government of Vladimír Mečiar.

Recent developments

In September 2023, populist left-wing Smer-SSD, led by former prime minister Robert Fico, won the general election, taking 79 seats in a 150-seat parliament with its allies, the centre-left Hlas and nationalist SNS parties. The three parties agreed to form a coalition government. On 25 October 2023, Robert Fico became new prime minister of Slovakia, announcing that the new government will stop Slovakia's military aid to Ukraine. At his first EU leaders meeting in Brussels, Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that Slovakia will not support further military aid for Ukraine nor support further sanctions against Russia due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Legal system

The Constitution of the Slovak Republic was ratified on 1 September 1992 and became effective 1 October the same year. It was amended in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president and again in February 2001 due to EU admission requirements.
The civil law system is based on Austro-Hungarian codes. The legal code was modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe and to expunge the Marxist–Leninist legal theory. Slovakia accepts the compulsory International Court of Justice jurisdiction with reservations.

Political parties and elections

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret ballot.

Presidential election

The president is elected by direct, popular vote, under the two-round system, for a five-year term. Two rounds of the last election occurred on 16 and 30 March 2019.

Parliamentary election

Members of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, are elected directly for a four-year term, under the proportional representation system. Like the Netherlands, the country is a single multi-member constituency. Voters may indicate their preferences within the semi-open list. The election threshold is 5%.

Other election results

Political parties

The Slovak political scene supports a wide spectrum of political parties including the communists and the nationalists. New parties arise and old parties cease to exist or merge at a frequent rate. Major parties are members of the European political parties. Some parties have regional strongholds, for example SMK is supported mainly by the Hungarian minority living in southern Slovakia. Although the main political cleavage in the 1990s concerned the somewhat authoritarian policy of HZDS, the left-right conflict over economic reforms has recently become the dominant power in Slovakia's politics.

Judicial branch

The country's highest appellate forum is the Supreme Court, the judges of which are elected by the National Council; below that are regional, district, and military courts. In certain cases the law provides for decisions of tribunals of judges to be attended by lay judges from the citizenry. Slovakia also has the Constitutional Court of Slovakia, which rules on constitutional issues. The 13 members of this court are appointed by the president from a slate of candidates nominated by Parliament.
Parliament passed legislation which created a 18-member Judicial Council in 2002 consisting of judges, law professors, and other legal experts, is responsible for the nomination of judges. All judges except those of the Constitutional Court are appointed by the president from a list proposed by the Judicial Council. The council also is responsible for appointing Disciplinary Senates in cases of judicial misconduct.

International organization participation

Slovakia is member of ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, European Audiovisual Observatory, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, Visegrád Group, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic
  • Association of Employers of Slovakia
  • Association of Towns and Villages of Slovakia – pressure group consisting of almost all Slovak towns.
  • Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak Republic
  • Club 500 – union of Slovak companies employing more than 500 employees.
  • Metal Workers Unions – merged with OZ METALURG on 1. January 2010.
  • Republic Union of Employers
  • Slovak Academy of Sciences – the highest scientific institution in Slovakia.
  • Slovak Merchant and Industrial Chamber
  • Union of Slovak Pensioners
  • Slovenská živnostenská komora – created by Law No. 126/1998 Z. z. from 12. December 1998.
  • Slovenský živnostenský zväz
  • General Bishop's Office