The prime minister of Slovakia, officially the chairman of the government of the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Predseda vlády Slovenskej republiky), commonly referred to in Slovakia as Predseda vlády or informally as Premiér, is the head of the government of the Slovak Republic. Officially, the officeholder is the third-highest constitutional official in Slovakia after the president of the Republic (appointer) and chairman of the National Council; in practice, the appointee is the country's leading political figure.
Since the office was created in 1969, fifteen people have served as head of government. Since 1993, when Slovakia gained independence, nine people have occupied the function. On 25 October 2023, Robert Fico became the prime minister of Slovakia.
History The office of the prime minister of Slovakia was established in 1969 by the Constitutional Act on the Czechoslovak Federation. A similar office had existed from 1918 when various officials were presiding over executive bodies governing the Slovak part of Czechoslovakia or the Slovak State respectively. Since 1993, when the independent Slovak Republic was established, nine persons have held the office.
Since 25 October 2023, the prime minister of Slovakia has been Robert Fico. Fico is the longest serving prime minister, if the years are counted cumulatively, with over years in total as of today.
Powers and role Since Slovakia is a parliamentary republic, the prime minister is accountable to the National Council. The Slovak Constitution provides that upon the accession to the office, each prime minister must gain and thereafter maintain the confidence of the Parliament. When the prime minister loses confidence, the president must dismiss him and designate a new prime minister or entrust the dismissed prime minister to act as a caretaker with limited powers.
The prime minister is the most powerful state office since he commands and presides over the government. Although it is not the prime minister but the president who appoints ministers in Cabinet, the president appoints ministers on the prime minister's advice.
Designated Prime Minister of Slovakia Designated Prime Minister of Slovakia () is an unofficial title for a person who has been entrusted by the president of the Slovak Republic with forming a new government and replacing the outgoing prime minister. This title, as well as the authorization of the president to entrust the designated prime minister, is not set by an act but is a legal or, more precisely, constitutional tradition. According to this tradition, the president designates a person who has the support of the majority of deputies in the National Council.
List of prime ministers of Slovakia
Czecho-Slovak Republic
Autonomous Land of Slovakia Portrait Name Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Jozef Tiso 7 October1938 9 March1939 Slovak People's Party
Slovak Republic (1939–1945) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Jozef Tiso 14 March1939 17 October1939 Slovak People's Party Vojtech Tuka 27 October1939 5 September1944 Slovak People's Party Štefan Tiso 5 September1944 4 April1945 Slovak People's Party
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
Slovak Socialist Republic Portrait Name Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Štefan Sádovský 1 January1969 5 May1969 Communist Party of Slovakia Peter Colotka 5 May1969 13 October1988 Communist Party of Slovakia Ivan Knotek 13 October1988 23 June1989 Communist Party of Slovakia Pavel Hrivnák 23 June1989 8 December1989 Communist Party of Slovakia Milan Čič 8 December1989 6 March1990 Communist Party of Slovakia
Czech and Slovak Federative Republic
Slovak Republic Portrait Name Term of office Political party Elected Cabinet(s) Composition Took office Left office Time in office Milan Čič 6 March1990 27 June1990 Communist Party of Slovakia — Čič KSS • VPN Vladimír Mečiar 27 June1990 6 May1991 Public Against Violence 1990 Mečiar I VPN • KDH • DS Ján Čarnogurský 6 May1991 24 June1992 Christian Democratic Movement — Čarnogurský VPN • KDH • DS Vladimír Mečiar 24 June1992 31 December1992 People's Party 1992 Mečiar II ĽS–HZDS • SNS
Slovak Republic (since 1993) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Elected Cabinet(s) Composition Took office Left office Time in office Vladimír Mečiar 1 January1993 15 March1994 People's Party 1992 Mečiar II ĽS–HZDS • SNS Jozef Moravčík 15 March1994 13 December1994 Democratic Union of Slovakia — Moravčík SDĽ • KDH • DEÚS Vladimír Mečiar 13 December1994 30 October1998 People's Party 1994 Mečiar III ĽS–HZDS • SNS • ZRS • RSS Mikuláš Dzurinda 30 October1998 16 October2002 Slovak Democratic Coalition 1998 Dzurinda I SDK • SDĽ • SMK • SOP 16 October2002 4 July2006 Slovak Democratic and Christian Union 2002 Dzurinda II SDKÚ–DS • SMK • KDH • ANO SDKÚ–DS • SMK • ANO Robert Fico 4 July2006 8 July2010 Smer 2006 Fico I Smer • SNS • ĽS–HZDS Iveta Radičová 8 July2010 4 April2012 Slovak Democratic and Christian Union 2010 Radičová SDKÚ–DS • SaS • KDH • Most–Híd Robert Fico 4 April2012 23 March2016 Smer 2012 Fico II Smer 23 March2016 22 March2018 2016 Fico III Smer • SNS • Most–Híd • Network Smer • SNS • Most–Híd Peter Pellegrini 22 March2018 21 March2020 2 years Smer — Pellegrini Smer • SNS • Most–Híd Igor Matovič 21 March2020 1 April2021 Slovakia Movement 2020 Matovič OĽaNO–NOVA–KÚ–ZZ • We Are Family • SaS • For the People Eduard Heger 1 April2021 15 May2023 Slovakia Movement — Heger OĽaNO–NOVA–KÚ–ZZ • We Are Family • SaS • For the People OĽaNO–NOVA–KÚ–ZZ • We Are Family • For the People Ľudovít Ódor 15 May2023 25 October2023 Independent — Ódor Technocratic cabinet Robert Fico 25 October2023 Incumbent Smer 2023 Fico IV Smer • Hlas • SNS
Timeline
Notes
References
See also President of Slovakia List of prime ministers of Czechoslovakia List of prime ministers of the Slovak Socialist Republic