Slovakia does not recognise same-sex marriage or civil unions. However, there is some limited legal recognition for cohabiting same-sex couples, notably with regard to inheritance rights.Zák. č. 40/1964 Z. z. Občiansky zákonníkZák. č. 301/2005 Z. z. Trestný poriadok The Constitution of Slovakia has limited marriage to opposite-sex couples since 2014, and bills to allow same-sex civil partnerships have been introduced several times, most recently in 2023, but all have been rejected by the National Council of Slovakia. In May 2023, a group of lawmakers submitted a motion to the Constitutional Court to address the lack of legal recognition for same-sex couples, while a separate proceeding, initiated in March 2022, focuses on the refusal of Slovak authorities to grant permanent residency to the foreign same-sex spouses of Slovak citizens. The Constitutional Court accepted both petitions for review, but has yet to issue a final ruling.
In June 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the same-sex spouses of European Union citizens should be granted a right of residency in Slovakia. Slovak authorities announced that they would comply with the ruling.JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Grand Chamber) 5 June 2018 However, according to media reports, as of April 2026, foreign same-sex spouses were still unable to meet residency requirements because family law requires spouses to possess a valid marriage license, and marriage under Slovak law is defined as "a union between a man and a woman". The ECJ expanded on the previous ruling on 22 November 2025, when it ruled in Jakub Cupriak-Trojan and Mateusz Trojan v Wojewoda Mazowiecki, a Polish case, that all member states of the European Union must recognise same-sex marriages validly performed within the European Union.
Limited legal rights Since 2018, Slovak civil and penal law has recognised a new definition of a "close person" (), previously limited to a sibling, relative or spouse. A family member or a person in a relationship shall be considered under law as a "close person" "if an injury suffered by one of them is reasonably felt by the other person as an injury suffered by him or her." Only limited rights are granted, namely in the area of inheritance. While the provision theoretically includes same-sex unions, it may be more difficult for these couples to prove their relationships and have their rights guaranteed.
In 2023, Minister of Justice Viliam Karas introduced a cohabitation bill to the National Council, which was approved at first reading in a 72–21 vote in May. However, later that same month, Jana Dubovcová, who succeeded Karas as minister of justice on 15 May, withdrew the legislative proposal due to criticism from LGBT organizations.
Registered partnerships Background In 2008 and 2009, the Otherness Initiative (), an LGBT advocacy group, launched a public awareness campaign for the recognition of same-sex registered partnerships (, ). Previously, bills to recognise same-sex civil partnerships had been defeated in 1997 and 2000. In January 2008, activists met with Deputy Prime Minister Dušan Čaplovič to discuss proposed partnership legislation. also held a number of public discussions about registered partnerships throughout 2008.Iniciatíva Inakosť During this time, the Green Party announced its support for registered partnerships for same-sex and opposite-sex couples.7 bodov pre krajšie a zdravšie Slovensko "podpora registrovaných partnerstiev medzi ľuďmi rozdielneho aj rovnakého pohlavia"
As a member of the Council of Europe, Slovakia falls under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). In January 2023, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled in Fedotova and Others v. Russia that Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees a right to private and family life, imposes a positive obligation on all member states of the Council of Europe to establish a legal framework recognising same-sex partnerships. The ECHR has also issued similar rulings with respect to Romania in Buhuceanu and Others, Ukraine in Maymulakhin and Markiv, Bulgaria in Koilova and Babulkova, and Poland in Przybyszewska and Others.
Failed attempts in 2012–2023 In March 2012, the Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party announced that it would submit a draft law on registered partnerships.SaS predloží partnerstvá gejov Denník SME, 2012 The partnership bill was submitted to the National Council on August 23. It would have granted same-sex couples similar rights and obligations as married couples, including alimony, inheritance, access to medical documentation and the right to a widow's and widower's pension, but excluding adoption rights.SaS proposes same-sex registered partnership Denník SME, 2012Návrh zákona o registrovanom partnerstve On September 19, the ruling Direction – Social Democracy (Smer) party announced that it would vote against the bill,Vládny Smer-SD registrované partnerstvá homosexuálov nepodporí which was later rejected by a 14–94 vote in November 2012. In August 2017, Deputy Speaker of the National Council Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová promised to re-submit draft legislation on registered partnerships to Parliament. Na Dúhový pochod prišli tisíce ľudí, potlesk zožala najmä ombudsmanka, ktorá sa nezľakla SNS (+fotogaléria) On 11 December 2017, following a meeting with Iniciatíva Inakosť representatives, President Andrej Kiska called for a public debate on the rights of same-sex couples.President Kiska calls for discussion on the rights of same-sex couples That same day, SaS reiterated its intention to introduce a registered partnership bill. Tímlíderkou SaS pre osobné slobody sa stala Natália Blahová SaS introduced its partnership bill to the National Council in July 2018. Under the proposed bill, partnerships would have been open to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples and would have granted couples several rights and benefits enjoyed by married couples, namely in the areas of inheritance and healthcare. The bill was defeated in September 2018, with only 31 out of 150 lawmakers in support. SaS nepresadila zákon o životných partnerstvách, ktoré by mohli uzatvárať aj páry rovnakého pohlavia.
In 2021, the Progressive Slovakia party introduced a life partnership bill, but it was rejected in a 7–67 vote in October 2021.Poslanci neschválili registrované manželstvá. In: SME, 6 October 2021. (in Slovak) MP Tomáš Valášek reintroduced a life partnership bill in 2022, but it was once again rejected in a 31–53 vote in October 2022. In August 2022, SaS introduced a cohabitation agreement bill to the National Council which would have granted couples various rights, including co-ownership, inheritance, access to health documentation, the right to a widow's and widower's pension and the right to nursing allowance.News digest: 'Cohabitation' bill to help LGBT+ couples In: SME, 17 October 2022Parties indicate support of law improving conditions for same-sex couples In: SME, 17 October 2022 A vote on the legislation took place only a few days after a terrorist attack on a gay bar in Bratislava in October 2022, but it failed to gather the sufficient number of votes. The bill was supported by 50 MPs with 37 opposed, but failed as it required 76 votes to pass. President Zuzana Čaputová criticized the bill's defeat, saying, "We need to act. Our society is not threatened by the love of two people of the same sex or their partnership." The Catholic Church opposed the legislation, and was widely criticized by civil society after Archbishop Ján Orosch said that the two victims of the terrorist attack were "steeped in immoral behaviour" and "should not have been referred to as innocent".
In 2023, registered partnerships were opposed by most Slovak political parties represented in the National Council, including For the People, the Christian Union, People's Party Our Slovakia, Ordinary People and Independent Personalities, Direction – Social Democracy, and We Are Family.OĽaNO nevstúpi do koalície, ktorá rieši drogy a registrované partnerstvá. In: SME, 15 September 2019. (in Slovak) Progressive Slovakia, Freedom and Solidarity, Voice – Social Democracy, and some Smer members were in favour. Another partnership bill was introduced to Parliament by SaS in April 2023, but failed to pass before the September 2023 parliamentary election.
Court cases In May 2023, a group of lawmakers filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court of Slovakia arguing that Parliament's failure to pass legislation recognizing same-sex couples was contrary to the Constitution and Slovakia's international obligations.
Same-sex marriage
Constitutional ban and 2015 referendum
In January 2014, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) announced that it would submit a draft law to prohibit same-sex marriage in the Slovak Constitution.KDH chce v Ústave definovať manželstvo ako zväzok muža a ženy In February 2014, Minister of Culture Marek Maďarič said that enough Smer MPs supported the constitutional ban for it to pass.Podľa Maďariča je správne, aby spoločnosť podporovala tradičnú rodinu Shortly thereafter, 40 MPs introduced a draft amendment to the National Council seeking to enshrine the ban in the Slovak Constitution.Návrh skupiny poslancov NR SR na vydanie ústavného zákona, ktorým sa mení a doĺňa zákon č. 460/1992 Zb. Ústava Slovenskej republiky v znení neskorších predpisov Prime Minister Robert Fico indicated that the governing Smer party would back the proposal in exchange for the opposition's support on a separate amendment concerning changes to the judicial system.Slovakia mulls constitutional ban on same-sex marriage The bill passed its first reading in a 103–5 vote in March 2014.Hlasovanie podľa klubov The amendment would cause any future laws recognising same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional.Hrušovský: Ak Ústava prejde, gayovia nedostanú práva ako manželstvoActivists protest constitutional amendment on marriage The bill was passed with 102 MPs voting for and 18 against in June 2014, and it was signed by President Ivan Gašparovič.Poslanci zmenili Ústavu, manželstvo dostalo ochranu Article 41(1) now reads as follows:
In December 2013, a conservative civil initiative group, the Alliance for the Family (), announced that it would push for a constitutional definition of marriage as "a union solely between a woman and a man".Aliancia za rodinu: Manželstvo má byť ideál The group intended to initiate referendums on several issues, and called for a ban on same-sex adoption and the prohibition of sex education in schools. They also suggested that other types of cohabitation should not be held equal to marriage between a man and a woman.Aktivistom sa veta o manželstve máli Zbierajú podpisy za referendum The group also criticised Swedish company IKEA for its corporate magazine which featured two lesbians raising a son.Traditional family advocates criticise Ikea By August 2014, the group had collected more than 400,000 signatures for a petition to hold a referendum on four questions. President Andrej Kiska asked the Constitutional Court to consider the proposed questions.Constitutional Court to review referendum on family In October 2014, the Constitutional Court ruled that the third question, which pertained to the recognition of cohabitation outside of marriage, was unconstitutional.Cez ustavny sud presli tri otazky referenda o rodine A referendum on the three other questions was held on 7 February 2015. All three proposals were approved, but the referendum was declared invalid due to insufficient turnout (21.07%). The referendum required a 50% turnout to be valid.Slovak conservatives fail to cement gay marriage ban in referendum The Guardian, 8 February 2015 Opponents, including human rights activists, had advised voters to boycott the referendum.