President of Slovakia

History

The office was established by the constitution of Slovakia on 1 January 1993, when Slovakia permanently split from Czechoslovakia and became independent. The office was vacant until 2 March, when the first president, Michal Kováč, was elected by the National Council of Slovak Republic. However, in 1998, the National Council could not elect a successor to Kováč. As a result, the position was vacant for half a year after Kováč's term ended in March 1998. The duties and powers of the office devolved upon the then-prime minister and speaker of the National Council. To resolve the issue, the constitution was changed to provide for the popular election of the president. Presidential elections have been held in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024.

Peter Pellegrini is the current president, taking office on 15 June 2024.

Role and powers

The president of Slovakia has a limited role in policy-making, as the office is largely ceremonial within the framework of a parliamentary republic. According to the constitution, the president is the supreme representative of the state both in Slovakia and abroad.

The president represents the Slovak Republic externally and concludes and ratifies international treaties. The president may delegate to the government or, with the government's consent, to individual members of the Slovak Republic, the conclusion of international treaties.

Among the president's constitutional powers are nominating and appointing the prime minister. The constitution does not limit the president's choice; through their decisions, the president ensures the due performance of constitutional bodies. Because the government of whoever is appointed prime minister must receive a vote of confidence in parliament, the president usually appoints the winning party or coalition leader in parliamentary elections.

The president has sole discretion to appoint three members of the judicial council, one member of the Budget Council, and two members of the council of the Nation's Memory Institute; to award distinctions, to appoint the president and vice-president of the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (from among the Constitutional Court judges), and to grant pardon or parole. They can veto any bill or proposal by the National Council, except for constitutional amendments. This veto can be overridden if the National Council passes the same bill again with a majority of all council members, so this power is considered relatively weak.

The president is formally the commander-in-chief of the Slovak armed forces, but this role is ceremonial because by the constitution when the president acts as the commander-in-chief, their decision is valid only after it is signed by the prime minister or a minister authorized by the prime minister.

Among their other constitutional duties are signing bills into law, appointing ministers on the prime minister's recommendation, and appointing various other state officials, such as generals, professors, judges, rectors, and prosecutors.

The president has discretionary power over the appointments of some officials. For example, there have been cases when the president has refused to appoint vice-governors of the National Bank of Slovakia recommended by the government. These actions of the president were confirmed by the Constitutional Court.

Presidential powers are substantially increased in special circumstances when the National Council passes a vote of no confidence in the government.

List of presidents of Slovakia

Czechoslovakia (1918–1992)

Main article: List of presidents of Czechoslovakia

(First) Slovak Republic (1939–1945)

Main article: Slovak Republic (1939–1945)

(Second) Slovak Republic (since 1993)

Timeline

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bar:Tiso from: 26/10/1939 till: 04/04/1945 color:HSĽS-SSNJ text:"Jozef Tiso" bar:Kováč from: 02/03/1993 till: 02/03/1998 color:HZDS text:"Michal Kováč" bar:Schuster from: 15/06/1999 till: 15/06/2004 color:SOP text:"Rudolf Schuster" bar:Gašparovič from: 15/06/2004 till: 15/06/2009 color:HZD from: 15/06/2009 till: 15/06/2014 color:Ind text:"Ivan Gašparovič" bar:Kiska from: 15/06/2014 till: 15/06/2019 color:Ind text:"Andrej Kiska" bar:Čaputová from: 15/06/2019 till: 15/06/2024 color:PS text:"Zuzana Čaputová" bar:Pellegrini from: 15/06/2024 till: end color:Hlas text:"Peter Pellegrini"

Acting presidents

Latest election

Main article: 2024 Slovak presidential election

Notes

References

References

1. (19 March 2024). "Prezident má z ústavných činiteľov najvyšší plat. Takto sa vypočíta".
2. "Constitution of the Slovak Republic".
3. (September 2019}} by Decision of President No. 250/2001 Coll. (which superseded Decision of President No. 205/1993 Coll.).{{Cite web). "250/2001 Z. z.". Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic.
4. "PL. ÚS 14/06".