The amendment, adopted by a razor-thin majority in parliament, also bans surrogacy. Prime Minister Robert Fico and his coalition argue the move is about “protecting traditional values”. Amnesty International Slovakia has condemned the changes as “draconian” and incompatible with international law.

According to LGBTQ+ group Iniciatíva Inakosť, the amendment explicitly bans legal gender recognition and directly targets trans and intersex people. Since the vote, the organisation has received dozens of desperate calls and emails from worried citizens.

The outcome surprised many: Fico’s government did not hold enough seats on its own, but secured support from several opposition MPs. Critics say the prime minister is using the constitution to stir division and deflect attention from economic problems. Beata Balagová, editor-in-chief of SME, called the move “a political game”.

Notably, the amendment also declares Slovak law superior to EU law in matters of “national identity”. Legal experts warn this could spark clashes with European institutions. Amnesty has warned the changes strengthen the state at the expense of its citizens.

Observers say the amendments fit into a wider pattern in central Europe, where governments invoke “national identity” and “traditional values” to roll back democratic rights. While public acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in Slovakia has been growing, politicians in Bratislava appear intent on turning back the clock.