Recognition of same-sex unions in Slovakia
[1][2] The Constitution of Slovakia has limited marriage to opposite-sex couples since 2014, and bills to allow same-sex civil partnerships have been introduced several times, most recently in 2023, but all have been rejected.[6] However, later that same month, Jana Dubovcová, who succeeded Karas as minister of justice on 15 May, withdrew the legislative proposal due to criticism from LGBT organizations.[7] In 2008 and 2009, Iniciatíva Inakosť ("Otherness Initiative"), an LGBT advocacy group, launched a public awareness campaign for the recognition of registered life partnerships (Slovak: životné partnerstvo,[8] pronounced [ˈʐiʋɔtɲeː ˈpartɲerstʋɔ])[a] between same-sex couples.[12] Slovakia is obliged under the European Court of Human Rights' ruling in Fedotova and Others v. Russia to provide legal recognition to same-sex unions.[19] In August 2017, Deputy Speaker of the National Council Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová promised to re-submit draft legislation on registered partnerships to Parliament.[20] On 11 December 2017, following a meeting with Iniciatíva Inakosť representatives, President Andrej Kiska called for a public debate on the rights of same-sex couples."[31] The Catholic Church opposed the legislation, and was widely criticized by civil society after Archbishop Ján Orosch said that the two victims of the terrorist attack were "steeped in immoral behaviour" and "should not have been referred to as innocent".The court found that the refusal was unjustified discrimination based on sexual orientation, as well as a violation of the right to private and family life and preventing a Slovak citizen from returning to his home country.[42] In January 2014, the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) announced that it would submit a draft law to prohibit same-sex marriage in the Slovak Constitution.[b]In December 2013, a conservative civil initiative group, the Aliancia za rodinu ("Alliance for the Family"), announced that it would push for a constitutional definition of marriage as "a union solely between a woman and a man".[53] The group intended to initiate referendums on several issues, and called for a ban on same-sex adoption and the prohibition of sex education in schools.On 5 June 2018, the European Court of Justice ruled in favour of a Romanian-American same-sex couple who sought to have their marriage recognised in Romania so that the American partner could reside in the country.[65] While the ruling was well received by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and other human rights groups, it was condemned by the Slovak Catholic Church.However, "some of [their] clergy strive for a more inclusive approach", with ongoing discussions for pastoral care for LGBT individuals and their families in the Evangelical Church.[73] At the same time, a poll conducted by FOCUS (Centrum pre sociálnu a marketingovú analýzu) the same year showed that 50% of Slovaks supported registered partnerships, while 35% were opposed.
Marriage
Civil union
Limited domestic recognition (cohabitation)
Limited foreign recognition (residency rights)
Unrecognized
Constitution limits marriage to opposite-sex couples
¹ May include recent laws or court decisions that have not yet entered into effect.
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