Slovakia political briefing: The most important political events awaiting Slovakia in 2023
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Loading... - Bianka Cierny
- 15 Feb 2023
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Referendum and President Čaputová’s decision
Yet the Smer-SD-led opposition has up its sleeve another possible way to get the constitutional change in question adopted. A 9-million-euro opposition-initiated referendum on shortening a parliament is set to take place on January 21, just three days before the first parliamentary session of the year. The electorate will, therefore, be the first to have its say on the constitutional change, even if the referendum is not expected to be valid due to a low turnout. Only 37 per cent of people said they will definitely cast a vote, according to an AKO poll from early December 2022.
President Čaputová – who agreed to, then called the referendum – and coalition politicians said weeks ago they would ignore it. The president claims Smer-SD is misusing the referendum for its own political ends, while others see it as merely a waste of money.
In Slovak history only one referendum has exceeded the necessary 50-per cent threshold. That concerned joining the EU in 2004. Yet if Smer-SD’s referendum were to succeed, its outcome would be legally binding, meaning that any future Slovak parliament could be dismissed anytime via a referendum or a resolution adopted by just 76, not 90, lawmakers in the 150-seat parliament, which is different from the proposal waiting to be voted on by parliament.
Conversely, if the referendum becomes invalid or political parties fail to agree by the end of January (the deadline set by the president) on holding a snap election, or Eduard Heger has not got together a list of 76 lawmakers to support his next cabinet by then, President Čaputová could appoint her own caretaker government.
Unlike SaS, other political parties said they would not back an interim, caretaker government. The Slovak public does not seem much in favor of it either. A Focus poll in December shows only 22 per cent would support a caretaker government, a concept Slovakia has no experience with. Read More…
