Parliament Passes Constitutional Amendment with 90 Votes (2)

Bratislava, 26 September (TASR) – Parliament on Friday approved a constitutional amendment that defines the existence of only two genders – male and female – in the Slovak Constitution and also introduces a constitutional guarantee of equal pay for men and women for the same work. Aside from coalition MPs, the amendment was supported by all opposition lawmakers from the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) caucus except for Frantisek Majersky and Frantisek Miklosko, who abstained. Also casting votes of support were three MPs from the 'Slovakia'-For the People-Christian Union caucus: Richard Vasecka, Marek Krajci and Rastislav Kratky. Among coalition legislators, only Jan Ferencak (Voice-SD) was absent and didn't vote. Therefore, of the 99 MPs present, 90 voted in favour, seven opposed the proposal, two abstained, and none refrained. The legislation further regulates child adoption and the educational process. According to its proponents, the aim is to strengthen Slovakia’s sovereignty in matters of values and cultural-ethical issues. "Strengthening the protection of traditional values is key to preserving the cultural heritage of the Slovak Republic and ensuring legal stability. The constitutional amendment responds to the need to safeguard the cultural heritage enshrined in the preamble of the Slovak Constitution, particularly in recognising marriage as a unique union between a man and a woman," the approved government proposal states. The amendment highlights Slovakia's sovereignty in fundamental cultural-ethical matters, including the protection of life and human dignity, private and family life, marriage, parenthood and family, culture and language, as well as related areas such as health care, upbringing and education. The changes also expand the constitutional regulation of social rights, specifically the status of the family and the enshrinement of parental rights. The amendment incorporates a joint motion by the governing coalition, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), and MPs from the Christian Union, which was approved in June. As a result, the Constitution will now include a ban on surrogacy as well as a child's right to know its parents, stating explicitly that the mother is a woman and the father is a man. The changes also define gender based on biological criteria and reinforce parental rights within the school system. The constitutional amendment is set to take effect on 1 November. NOTE: This story has been extended to include the second paragraph mf/df