On Wednesday, the Slovak government approved a draft amendment to the Constitution, which states that the country will recognize only two genders.
The draft also includes provisions that Slovakia will retain sovereignty on certain cultural and ethical issues, and that children’s education on sexual topics will require parental consent. The draft excludes a provision that had been criticized by experts, which would have prioritized the Slovak Constitution over European Union legislation.
The approved government draft differs from the original initiative by Robert Fico. Specifically, it removes the provision about the priority of the Slovak Constitution over EU law, as well as the proposal that gender could only be changed for serious reasons.
The government also wants to enshrine a rule in the Constitution stating that Slovakia retains its sovereignty, especially on issues of national identity, including key cultural and ethical matters. Parents will be required to give consent for their children’s education on topics beyond the state curriculum, as well as for education related to the formation of intimate life and sexual behavior.
