Slovak parliament passes controversial constitution changes; coalition conspiracies<\/p>\n
Slovakia\u2019s parliament on September 26 approved<\/a> a contentious constitutional overhaul by the narrowest possible margin, after several opposition MPs unexpectedly backed the government\u2019s bill, delivering the 90 votes required for passage. The amendment \u2013 criticised by experts, civil rights groups, the Council of Europe\u2019s Venice Commission<\/a> and the European Commission \u2013 enshrines references to \u201cnational identity\u201d, retains sovereignty above all in matters of cultural-ethical questions, defines sex strictly as male or female on biological grounds, strengthens parental control over sex education, bans surrogacy, and ties most adoptions to marriage. It also introduces an equal-pay clause and empowers the state to police school curricula determined to be against the constitution. Teachers, for example, warn that the provisions on sex education could create \u201canarchy\u201d. The package, which will come into force in November after being signed by the president, was driven by Robert Fico\u2019s Smer party alongside coalition partners Hlas and SNS, with support from most MPs in the Christian Democrats (KDH). It passed only after two MPs from Igor Matovic\u2019s conservative Hnutie Slovensko, Marek Krajci and Rastislav Kratky, voted in favour, joining Richard Vasecka of the Christian Union faction. Krajci justified his decision by saying \u201cit is not a problem for God to use even Robert Fico to do good\u201d. Matovic denounced the move as a \u201cbetrayal\u201d, claiming he learned of their plan minutes before the vote. Unlike Krajci, Kratky has been expelled from the party and its caucus. Opposition leaders reacted fiercely. Michal Simecka of Progressive Slovakia said the defections \u201cend any talk\u201d of future cooperation with Matovic\u2019s party. The SaS leader, Branislav Grohling, described it as a \u201cblack day\u201d that risks undermining Slovakia\u2019s EU commitments. The KDH, however, hailed<\/a> the result as a defence of human dignity, calling it one of its greatest successes \u2013 comparable, it claimed, to Slovakia joining the EU or NATO \u2013 while dismissing speculation that Smer is attempting to poach its voters. Fico celebrated what he called a \u201chistoric\u201d victory that could inspire other countries. \u201cThis is a big dam against progressives that we have built,\u201d he said, adding that Smer would mark the result \u201cwith a bit of alcohol\u201d. Fico also revealed he had asked \u201cinfluential people\u201d to speak to Kratky and Krajci before the vote, but did not say who. Some suggested figures from the Catholic Church, which applauded <\/a>the amendment\u2019s adoption.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n