Slovakia's Government Faces Confidence Vote as Debt Exceeds Constitutional Limit

Slovakia's government is set to face a parliamentary confidence vote on Thursday after the country's public debt exceeded constitutional fiscal thresholds, triggering a mandatory political test for Prime Minister Robert Fico's coalition administration.

The Constitutional Court, Slovakia's highest judicial authority, ruled on Wednesday that the government must call for the confidence vote without delay. Fico acknowledged the court's decision and agreed to proceed with the ballot. The government holds 78 seats in the 150-seat National Council parliament, providing a comfortable majority expected to secure passage of the confidence motion. Coalition lawmakers limited debate to 12½ hours.

Slovakia's debt reached 61.4 percent of gross domestic product according to the Slovak Statistics Office, having climbed from 59.7 percent reported by Eurostat in October. The opposition filed the constitutional complaint in November, citing the breach of the constitutional 50 percent threshold. While Slovakia's debt ratio remains below the European Union average, the Slovak Supreme Audit Office reported on Tuesday that the economy expanded only 0.8 percent in 2025—the slowest growth in three years—while government spending continued to accelerate, contributing to the rising debt burden.

Slovakia, like many European nations, increased public expenditures to address economic disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which caused energy prices to surge. Fico had originally intended to combine this confidence vote with a separate parliamentary vote on next year's state budget, scheduled for later in the year.

Fico, who returned to power in 2023, has proven a polarizing political figure. His pro-Russian positioning and various policies have prompted sustained public protests throughout his tenure.