Early General Election to Be Held on September 30

Bratislava, January 31 (TASR) - An early general election in Slovakia will be held on September 30, 2023, according to a resolution on shortening the electoral term, approved by Parliament on Tuesday. From 148 MPs present in the vote, 92 backed the draft resolution, 54 were against and two refrained from voting. The resolution shortens the electoral term launched in 2020 so that an early general election will take place on September 30, 2023. In line with the resolution, the parliamentary chair shall announce the general election no earlier than 130 and no later than 110 days before it is held. The parties of the former governing coalition, OLANO, We Are Family, Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and For the People, agreed on the September 30 date for the election. Smer-SD MPs suggested May 27 and MPs operating in the extra-parliamentary Voice-SD preferred June 24. However, none of these two proposals gained sufficient support from MPs. The Slovak Constitution had to be changed in order to adopt the resolution. The respective amendment was passed last week. It enables shortening of the electoral term via a resolution if backed by 90 MPs. ko/mcs