Slovakia's lawmakers have put forward constitutional amendments that could impose stringent restrictions on the rights of LGBTQ+ people and access to reproductive healthcare. The proposals, which were supported by 81 members of parliament, aim to embed socially conservative values into the country’s constitution, a move that has raised alarms among human rights advocates.
These proposed changes stipulate that adoption rights would be limited exclusively to heterosexual married couples, effectively prohibiting same-sex couples from adopting children. Currently, while same-sex relationships are not legally recognised in Slovakia, existing legislation permits individual adoptions regardless of sexual orientation. The new amendments, however, would not merely reinforce existing inequalities but could also eliminate recognition of nonbinary individuals, further constraining the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the country.
Rado Sloboda, Director of Amnesty International Slovakia, expressed grave concerns over these developments, stating, “This swathe of amendments is an attempt to buttress an increasingly hostile environment for LGBTIQ+ people, undermine gender equality, rule of law, and broader human rights protections in Slovakia.” He pointed out that the constitutional changes aimed at allowing healthcare workers to refuse abortion services based on personal conscience could significantly threaten public health, remarking, “If passed, these draconian measures would further undermine gender equality and deepen the crackdown on LGBTIQ+ people’s rights, mirroring the dangerous practices of other countries in the region, such as Hungary and Poland.”
Additional components of the amendments include proposals for mandatory parental consent for sex education in schools, reduced gestational limits for legal abortions, and potential bans on in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and surrogacy.
Slovakia’s National Council, consisting of 150 members, requires at least 90 votes in the subsequent reading for the amendments to progress. The current situation is particularly critical given that Slovakia, as a member of the European Union, may face heightened scrutiny or legal challenges from the EU if these amendments violate the bloc's human rights standards.
Prime Minister Robert Fico, who resumed office in 2023 representing the left-nationalist Direction – Social Democracy party, has actively championed a socially conservative agenda since his return to power. The outcome of this legislative process is poised to be pivotal not only for Slovak society but also in the context of broader European discussions surrounding human rights and equality.
Source: Noah Wire Services