Slovak constitutional change promotes anti-LGBTQ ‘national identity’ | Civil Rights News

The constitutional modification states that female and male would be the solely recognised genders within the nation.

Slovakia has accepted a constitutional modification to restrict the rights of same-sex {couples}.

The nation’s parliament on Friday accepted the change, which states that female and male would be the solely recognised genders, and that college curricula should respect the cultural and moral positions set out within the structure.

The modification was accepted with the minimal essential 90 votes within the 150-seat decrease home with the assistance of some conservative members of the opposition.

The vote marks a sweeping change for the European Union (EU), as a nationwide legislation takes priority over EU legislation, doubtlessly posing a problem to the functioning of the 27-nation bloc.

Nationalist Prime Minister Robert Fico has billed the constitutional change as “a dam in opposition to progressivism”.

After the vote, Michal Simecka, chief of the strongest opposition social gathering in parliament, Progressive Slovakia, stated the modification “will damage the folks of Slovakia and name into query Slovakia’s place within the EU and its authorized area”.

After the modification was proposed in late January, Fico framed the necessity for it as a manner of upholding “the traditions, the cultural and religious heritage of our ancestors” to assemble a “constitutional barrier in opposition to progressive politics” and restore “frequent sense”.

“There are two sexes, female and male”, outlined at start, the proposal states – an echo of United States President Donald Trump’s inauguration speech.

“Intercourse can’t be modified aside from critical causes, in accordance with procedures that will likely be established by legislation,” it continues.

The modification additionally authorises adoption just for married {couples}, with uncommon exceptions.

Slovakia’s structure already defines marriage as a union between a person and a girl, following an modification from 2014, when Fico was additionally prime minister.

It additionally states that Slovakia’s “sovereignty” concerning “cultural and moral questions” ought to override EU legislation.

MP Maria Kolikova, of the centre-right Freedom and Solidarity social gathering, warned that the constitutional change might jeopardise EU funds for Slovakia and undermine its membership of Europe’s prime rights organisation, the Council of Europe.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the Council of Europe’s Venice Fee warned about “the necessity for the definitions of ‘nationwide identification’ and ‘cultural and moral points’ to not create a battle with the prevailing worldwide obligations of the Slovak Republic”.

The authorized advisory physique additionally cautioned “that entrenching a strict binary understanding of intercourse within the Structure shouldn’t lead to justifying discrimination primarily based on sexual orientation or gender identification in subsequent laws or state measures”.

Amnesty Worldwide additionally criticised Slovakia’s modification, saying the adjustments focused LGBTI+ and reproductive rights.

“That is devastating information. As an alternative of taking concrete measures to guard the rights of LGBTI+ folks, youngsters, and ladies, our parliament voted to undertake constitutional amendments that put the structure in direct battle with worldwide legislation,” Amnesty Slovakia chief Rado Sloboda stated in an announcement.

Since his return to energy in 2023, Fico has confronted a collection of protests in his 5.4-million-strong nation over this drive to curb rights. He has tightened his grip on what he deems “hostile” media and changed main figures within the nation’s cultural establishments.

Fico, one of many Kremlin’s few allies inside the EU, has additionally drawn Bratislava nearer to Moscow.