Constitution of Slovakia

The Constitution of Slovakia, also called the Constitution of the Slovak Republic, is the most important set of rules for the country Slovakia. It tells everyone how the government should work and what the rights of people are.

This constitution was approved by the Slovak National Council on 1 September 1992 and signed a few days later on 3 September 1992 in a special room at the Bratislava Castle. Many parts of the constitution started being used on 1 October 1992, with some parts beginning on 1 January 1993.

Every year on 1 September, Constitution Day is celebrated to remember when this important document was created. The constitution helps make sure Slovakia remains a fair and peaceful country for all its people.

History

In 1969, Czechoslovakia became a federation with the Czech Socialist Republic and Slovak Socialist Republic as its parts. This happened after a time of political freedom called the Prague Spring.

Work on a new constitution for Slovakia began after the Velvet revolution in 1990. A group of experts, called the Plank Committee, started preparing a draft. They finished their work quickly in 1992. The Constitution of Slovakia was officially passed and signed that same year.

Overview

The Constitution of Slovakia is the main law of the country. It has a preamble and nine parts. Most parts are split into chapters, and these chapters contain 156 articles in total.

The parts include:

• The Preamble
• First part with general rules, state symbols, and the capital city Bratislava
• Second part about important rights and freedoms for people
• Third part about the country's economy and its top checking office
• Fourth part about local government groups
• Fifth part about the country's law-making group
• Sixth part about the president and the government
• Seventh part about the courts
• Eighth part about public prosecutors and a special helper for people’s rights
• Ninth part with rules for changing or ending the constitution

Amendments

To change the Constitution of Slovakia, three fifths of the votes in the parliament are needed. The Constitution has been changed several times.

Some important changes include:

• In 1998, the way the President is chosen was updated.
• In 1999, the President began to be chosen by popular vote instead of the parliament.
• In 2001, big changes were made to prepare for joining the European Union, including new laws about elections and judges.
• In 2014, marriage was defined as a bond between one man and one woman.
• In 2023, the right to use cash was added to the Constitution.
• In 2025, the Constitution was changed to recognize only two genders, ban certain types of adoption, and ensure equal pay for men and women.