EU officials argue the law diminishes equality and dignity; Bratislava maintains it defends children and national traditions.
The European Union has once again set its sights on a member state for upholding traditional principles. This occasion involves Slovakia, whose recent constitutional amendment— enacted on September 26—defines sex strictly as two biological categories and restricts adoption rights exclusively to married heterosexual couples. Slovak officials claim the legislation aims to protect children’s welfare and strengthen the family as society’s fundamental unit. Nonetheless, Brussels has criticized it as a “threat to fundamental rights.”
Vienna-based EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) issued a strong warning that the reform “undermines the principles of equality, human dignity, and respect” guaranteed by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The FRA took issue with the sex designation as “male or female, biologically determined,” arguing it disregards the “lived experiences” of transgender, non-binary, and intersex people. It also criticized the new rule mandating parental consent for minors to attend sex-education courses, labeling it a “restriction on access to objective and reliable information.”
Conversely, Bratislava’s administration insists the change complies with its mandate to shield national sovereignty from ideological dictates originating in Brussels and to assert Slovak law’s supremacy in cultural and moral affairs. Prime Minister Robert Fico previously declared that Slovakia “will not allow foreign institutions to dictate its morals.” Through this constitutional update, Slovakia aligns with other Central European countries, including Hungary and Poland, that have constitutionally reinforced family protections and parental rights over children’s education.
This dispute underscores the widening chasm between the EU’s Western faction, which embraces a progressive platform, and the Eastern members, who emphasize their Christian heritage and the prerogative to legislate according to their values. While the European Commission has yet to specify actions, it has not dismissed the possibility of forwarding the matter to the EU Court of Justice, similar to legal challenges faced by Hungary over its 2021 child protection law.
Despite external disapproval, support within Slovakia for the amendment remains robust. Polls conducted by the Slovak polling agency FOCUS show that more than 70% of Slovaks favor limiting adoption to married heterosexual couples, and upwards of 80% agree that parents should determine their children’s involvement in sex education. This strong public endorsement questions the validity of Brussels’ interventions and highlights a profound cultural divide that the EU increasingly struggles to reconcile.
Original article: The European Conservative
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