Slovakia’s former coalition heads agree to early parliamentary elections

Slovakia will hold early parliamentary elections on Sept. 30 after the leaders of the country’s previous coalition government agreed on a constitutional change to bring forward the vote from February 2024, Slovak news site Dennik N reported on Sunday.
The party leaders moved in after an opposition referendum on holding an early election failed to attract enough voters on Saturday.
Only 27.3% of voters cast ballots, far below the absolute majority a referendum must attract to be valid, according to data from the Statistics Office.
An early election can be held in Slovakia if the constitution is changed to permit parliament’s four-year term to be shortened. Such a change of constitution would need approval by a referendum or by at least 90 votes in the 150-seat parliament.
The government of Prime Minister Eduard Heger has been ruling in a caretaking capacity after it lost a no-confidence vote in parliament in December.