Status: 01/22/2023 01:53 am
The opposition in Slovakia wanted to have the constitution changed in a referendum to enable early elections. But the vote failed due to insufficient participation. The government crisis is therefore likely to continue.
In Slovakia, a referendum for a constitutional amendment failed due to insufficient participation. According to preliminary figures from the electoral commission, only around a quarter of those entitled to vote voted – for the referendum to have been valid, it would have had to be at least half.
An amendment to the constitution that would allow early elections was voted on. So far, the parliament in Slovakia cannot be dissolved and re-elected if a government collapses and no new majority can be found. With around 400,000 signatures, the left-wing opposition had forced the referendum. 4.5 million people were called to vote.
Government collapsed in December
In December, the minority government of Prime Minister Eduard Heger was brought down by a vote of no confidence. The opposition had accused her of incompetence in the face of the energy crisis and high inflation, as well as a lack of commitment in the fight against corruption.
President Zuzana Caputova then asked Heger to remain in office as managing director – she gave parliament until the end of January to bring about new elections via a constitutional amendment.
According to all polls, Heger’s minority coalition of three conservative-populist parties is threatened with a debacle in new elections. That is why the governing parties tried to prevent the referendum from succeeding until the end. The regular elections in Slovakia are to take place in February 2024.