politics
Slovaks Vote on Ending Lifelong Payments for Former Leaders
Voters decide whether to cancel post-term payments for prime ministers and parliament speakers and whether to restore two specialized anti-corruption bodies. The ballot follows a petition signed by more than 350,000 citizens.
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Slovaks cast ballots on Saturday in a referendum on canceling lifelong monthly payments to former prime ministers and parliament speakers who served at least two terms. The payments, introduced after a 2024 assassination attempt, equal the salaries of current lawmakers.
Voters also decide whether to reopen the special prosecutor’s office and the National Criminal Agency, both of which handled serious crimes including corruption and organized crime. Lawmakers abolished the two offices earlier in 2024. The referendum was triggered by a petition organized by the Democrats, a non-parliamentary opposition party, that gathered more than 350,000 signatures in a country of 5.4 million people.
Only one prior Slovak referendum, the 2003 vote on European Union membership, met the legal threshold for success. Polls indicated turnout would likely fall short of the 50 percent required for the results to be valid. Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would not vote.
Background on the payments and offices The lifelong benefit was extended to qualifying former leaders after the 2024 attack on Fico. Before that change, only former presidents received the payments. The special prosecutor’s office and the National Criminal Agency were eliminated by legislation passed by Fico’s coalition government.
The move drew domestic and international criticism and prompted street protests. A number of individuals connected to Fico’s party have faced prosecution in corruption cases. Fico returned to office in 2023.
