INESS: Slovakia Gets Worse Ranking in Nanny State Index Due to New Regulations

Bratislava, 24 May (TASR) - Slovakia moved from 24th to 17th place out of 29 countries evaluated in the latest Nanny State Index 2025, the Institute of Economic and Social Studies (INESS), which participates in compiling the index, has informed TASR, adding that this means a deterioration, as the higher the ranking, the more the lack of freedom. The Nanny State Index ranks European countries according to how much they interfere in people's lifestyle choices - from what they eat and drink to whether they smoke or vape. The index has been published since 2016 by the European Policy Information Center (EPICENTER), which includes 12 think tanks from across Europe. "In less than two years, Slovakia has become one of the countries that uses paternalistic regulations and high taxes to interfere in the daily decisions of its citizens. This means a decrease in personal freedom in the area of ​​lifestyle, especially for consumers of food, alcohol and nicotine," said the institute. The most liberal countries in the current ranking are Germany, Luxembourg, Italy and the Czech Republic. Conversely, Turkey, Lithuania, Finland and Hungary are the countries that interfere in people's decision-making the most. According to INESS, Slovakia was previously considered a more liberal country in terms of lifestyle. However, this has changed recently due to several new measures. The institute mentioned the introduction of a new tax on sweetened beverages, while nicotine pouches and electronic cigarettes are subject to new excise taxes, and tobacco taxes and taxes on alcohol have also increased significantly. Life-style taxes generate €1.5 billion for state coffers each year. "Paternalistic regulations reduce the quality of life, limit choice, increase the cost of living and stigmatise consumers. Moreover, it's difficult to find evidence that countries with a higher nanny state index have healthier populations or live longer,” stated the institute. ko/df