Slovak lawmakers have taken a step closer toward redefining gender in the nation’s constitution, sparking fierce debate at home and across the EU. On Wednesday, April 9, the country’s parliament voted to continue discussions on a proposed constitutional amendment that would legally recognize only two genders—male and female.
The draft legislation, backed by Slovakia’s left-wing nationalist government, doesn’t stop there. It also seeks to restrict adoption rights exclusively to married couples. Since same-sex marriage is not legal in Slovakia, the move would effectively bar same-sex partners from adopting children.
The bill asserts that defending “traditional values” is key to preserving Slovakia’s cultural identity. It also asserts national primacy over EU law in these matters—a direct challenge to Brussels, which has increasingly pushed member states toward greater inclusivity.
Prime Minister Robert Fico, known for his blunt rhetoric and hardline stance on social issues, has positioned himself squarely against progressive ideologies. Earlier this year, he lambasted LGBTQ movements, calling for an end to what he described as “nonsense” around gender identity. “It’s time we start acting like sane, normal people,” he said in a January address.
To be cemented into the constitution, the proposal will need 90 votes in the 150-seat National Council during the next round of voting, expected in late May. So far, it has drawn support from 81 MPs—just short of the threshold.
If passed, the amendment would mark a sharp departure from the direction many European governments are heading, where gender identity laws are becoming more fluid and inclusive. For Slovakia, though, this legislative push reflects a deeper cultural and political undercurrent—one that favors tradition over transformation, and sovereignty over supranational influence.
As tensions simmer between national identity and EU norms, the vote in May is shaping up to be more than just a domestic legal tweak—it could signal a broader shift in Central Europe’s political landscape.
