Slovakia has changed its constitution, enshrining into law recognition of only two sexes – male and female

The legal change, which passed in a knife-edge vote in parliament, also restricts adoption to married heterosexual couples and prohibits surrogate pregnancies

The constitutional amendment was defined as enshrining "sovereignty in cultural and ethical matters"

Critics including Amnesty International have warned the change would make life more difficult for LGBT people, saying it brings the country's legal system closer to Hungary's illiberal government or Putin's Russia[…]
Fico's government – a coalition of populist, leftist and nationalist parties – needed at least 90 votes in the 150-seat Slovak National Council to change the constitution, but realistically only control 78 seats

However, in the end 12 opposition MPs voted with the government. The conservative opposition Christian Democrats had long been expected to lend their support, but several members of former prime minister Igor Matovic's Slovakia movement added their votes at the last minute[…]
The populist-nationalist government argued the amendment was necessary to protect what it described as "traditional values"

Prime Minister Robert Fico praised the vote[…]"This isn't a little dam, or just a regular dam - this is a great dam against progressivism"[…]
He had previously argued that what he called liberal ideology was "spreading like cancer"

Slovak legal scholars say a constitutional amendment enshrining the primacy of the Slovak constitution over EU law is a direct challenge to the European Union[…]
Some said the move was merely a ploy by Fico to distract attention from falling poll ratings and unpopular policies[…]
President Peter Pellegrini said he would sign the amendment

"At a time of enormous division within Slovak society, a constitutional majority is an important signal that there is agreement on a specific issue across the political spectrum, and it must be respected"