Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Slovakia by 28 September 2027 to elect members of the National Council, although they can be held sooner if a snap election is called.
The election is expected to be one of the most important in recent years, as it could shape Slovakia's political future. Many see it as a test of Robert Fico and his government, especially its handling of the economy, rule of law concerns, and its approach towards the European Union (EU) and war in Ukraine.
Opposition parties, including Progressive Slovakia (PS) and other parties, are expected to change the country's foreign policy and strengthen public institutions. Voter turnout and the results of smaller parties could be crucial in deciding whether Slovakia continues on its current path or moves in a different political direction.
Background
2023 election
The last elections were held in 2023. The left-wing populist Direction – Social Democracy (Smer–SD) led by Fico won the election with 22.95% of the vote, earning 42 seats in the 150-member parliament. In total, seven parties entered parliament, reflecting the country's fragmented political landscape and the collapse of the previous governing coalition. The election marked a political comeback for Fico and sparked debate about the country's future direction, particularly its foreign policy and military support for Ukraine, while also emphasizing that coalition negotiations would be important in creating a new government. Smer–SD ultimately succeeded in doing so by forming a government with Voice – Social Democracy (Hlas–SD) and the Slovak National Party.
Domestic policy
Judiciary and criminal code reforms
In December 2023, the government proposed changes to the Criminal Code and pushed to pass them through an accelerated legislative process, arguing that the existing laws did not meet human rights standards. The proposal included abolishing the Special Prosecutor's Office, which investigated high-level corruption, and reducing penalties for some financial crimes. The proposed reforms were strongly criticized by the parliamentary opposition, President Zuzana Čaputová, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and a range of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The opposition responded with parliamentary filibusters, while large-scale protests lasted for several weeks. The European Public Prosecutor's Office also warned that the changes could weaken the protection of the EU's financial interests in Slovakia.
The proposed reforms raised concerns about possible conflicts of interest within the governing coalition. Critics argued that several people with close ties to the government, including coalition politicians facing criminal charges, could benefit from the changes. Among them was the bill's rapporteur, Tibor Gašpar. Many of these cases were being handled by the Special Prosecutor's Office, which the reform planned to abolish. The European Commission warned that the reform could affect ongoing corruption cases and Slovakia's ability to effectively investigate and prosecute such crimes. It also called for a thorough analysis of the proposed changes, saying that the reform could negatively affect several areas of EU law. The government rejected the criticism, saying the changes were meant to modernize the Criminal Code, place greater emphasis on rehabilitation, and bring Slovak law more closely into alignment with EU standards.
On 8 February 2024, the National Council passed an amendment to the Criminal Code. The reform introduced significant changes to criminal law, including lower prison sentences and shorter statutes of limitations for several crimes, such as bribery, tax fraud, embezzlement, and robbery. The final version of the law also lowered the statute of limitations for sexual assault cases from 20 years to 10 years. This change was widely criticized by politicians and the general public. The government defended the measure, arguing that it could encourage victims to report crimes earlier and could still be revised through future amendments. After facing public pressure, the government proposed restoring the previous 20-year limitation period for rape and other serious sexual crimes. The change was approved on 28 February, reversing the earlier reduction before the reform came into effect.
Following the reform's adoption, several corruption-related cases were suspended or dropped because of the new legislation. Many of the affected cases had been ongoing for years, involving politicians and businessmen who were widely seen as having close ties to Fico. Those affected included former Finance Minister Ján Počiatek, oligarch Jozef Výboh, suspected of a €150,000 bribery linked to President Peter Pellegrini, and Deputy Speaker of the National Council Peter Žiga, who was under investigation for allegedly offering a €100,000 bribe to a Supreme Court judge. Many other cases were affected as well, raising further concerns about the impact of the reform on ongoing investigations. The shorter limitation periods applied to cases that had been charged under the previous Criminal Code but had not yet been decided by the courts, as prosecutors and judges were required to apply the law that was more favorable to the accused.
Greater control of the media Starting in late 2023, the government took several steps that critics said were aimed at independent media. It described a number of major news outlets as "hostile" and signaled that their access to government institutions would be limited. Journalists from outlets including Sme, Denník N, Aktuality.sk, and TV Markíza were excluded from some press conferences and often did not receive answers to their questions, while media seen as more supportive of the government were given greater access. Pavol Szalai of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called the situation a "crash test" for Slovakia's democracy. At the same time, the government reduced funding for the public broadcaster Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) and proposed further changes to its structure and financing. These plans were criticized by press freedom advocates.
In March 2024, the government announced plans to replace RTVS, prompting widespread criticism and public protests. Critics argued that the proposal would threaten the broadcaster's independence. Noel Curran of the European Broadcasting Union warned that the changes appeared to be an attempt to turn the public broadcaster into state-controlled media. The proposal was also criticized by the President, opposition parties, journalists, international media organizations, and the European Commission. In an open letter, groups including the International Press Institute (IPI), the European Federation of Journalists, Free Press Unlimited, and the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom warned that the reforms could weaken media independence and threaten press freedom. RSF also condemned what it described as verbal attacks on journalists, restrictions on access to information, and efforts to undermine the broadcaster's independence.
In April 2024, the government approved legislation proposed by Fico and Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová to reform public broadcasting, arguing that RTVS had become politically biased. The plan dissolved RTVS and replaced it with Slovak Television and Radio (STVR), overseen by a council appointed by the government. It also required the broadcaster to play the national anthem every day. Parliament approved the reform in June 2024, officially replacing RTVS with STVR. IPI argued it would allow the governing coalition to appoint loyal leadership and increase its influence over public broadcasting. In April 2025, the Democratic Erosion Consortium said the reforms had attracted international criticism and raised concerns about democratic backsliding, while an IPI report from June 2025 also said that pressure on TV Markíza had contributed to staff changes and growing concerns about editorial self-censorship.
Doctors' strike
In late 2024, the government faced a serious healthcare crisis after thousands of doctors threatened to go on strike over poor working conditions. More than 3,300 of them submitted their resignations, putting significant pressure on the healthcare system. In response, the government passed legislation allowing penalties during a state of emergency. Healthcare workers who refused to work could face up to one year in prison or a €1,500 fine. If a patient was harmed as a result, the penalty could be as high as five years. Health Minister Kamil Šaško said that emergency measures could be introduced in regions most affected by resignations.
As tensions increased, the dispute raised concerns over healthcare capacity and the government's response to the strike. Many feared that the conflict could place additional pressure on the healthcare system and cause longer delays for patients. The conflict also highlighted the growing divide over how the crisis should be managed while maintaining essential medical services. The introduction of emergency measures, which could have forced doctors to continue working under threat of legal penalties, was criticized by medical unions and opposition politicians. They said the measures could undermine labor rights and further damage trust between healthcare workers and the government.
Negotiations between the government and healthcare workers intensified in late December 2024 and eventually led to an agreement. The deal maintained salary increases for doctors and included promises to address broader problems, such as hospital funding and staff shortages. In return, doctors agreed to withdraw the resignation notices, which had threatened to seriously disrupt hospital services across the country. Šaško described the deal as a compromise, saying that the main winners were patients themselves. He stressed that protecting the lives of patients was at the heart of the agreement and a shared goal of both the government and doctors. The agreement also created a basis for further discussions aimed at preventing a similar crisis in the future.
Constitutional amendments
On 27 January 2025, Fico announced a series of proposed amendments to the Constitution of Slovakia. The changes were intended to strengthen national sovereignty by giving the constitution priority over international treaties and agreements. The proposals also included legally recognizing only two genders (male and female), restricting gender transition, and banning same-sex couples from adopting children.
The proposed amendment faced criticism from international organizations and legal experts. Before the vote in September 2025, the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe warned that giving Slovak law priority in "cultural and ethical issues" could conflict with Slovakia's obligations under EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights. The commission also recommended removing the strict two-gender definition from the proposal, arguing that it could lead to discrimination and conflict with existing human rights standards. It urged Slovak lawmakers to make sure any constitutional changes were consistent with European human rights law and did not weaken the protection of minority groups.
Despite disagreements, the government passed the changes on 26 September 2025, introducing a number of socially conservative measures. The changes formally recognized only two genders, limited adoption to married heterosexual couples, and introduced a nationwide ban on surrogacy. The amendment also stated that Slovak laws concerning cultural and ethical issues would take priority over conflicting EU legislation. Government officials defended the changes as a way to protect national traditions and prevent what they described as the influence of progressive policies.