A Quick Guide to the National Council

of the Slovak Republic

Infographic No. 10/2025 of the Parliamentary Institute

of the Chancellery of the National Council of the Slovak Republic

The National Council of the Slovak Republic is

National Council is one of the 3 branches of the

unicameral Parliament

: it consists of one chamber.

state power,

alongside

executive

and

judiciary

Legislative

is represented by the

National Council

which approves the

laws.

Executive

Judiciary

is represented by the is represented by the

President and the

Government which

exercise powers

Constitutional Court

and the system

of courts which

according to the laws.

interpret the laws.

Who is represented in the National

Council?

National Council is made up of 150

Members of the Parliament (MPs) who are

elected for a period of 4 years in general

elections.

An MP can become anyone who has the

right to vote, has reached the age of 21,

and is permanently residing in the Slovak

Republic.

150

The Speaker is the highest parliamentary

dignitary in the National Council. He or she

is responsible for convening and presiding

over sessions of the National Council. At

the moment, the Speaker is Richard Raši.

The Speaker is supported by 4 Deputy-

Speakers.

Coalition - 79 MPs

Direction - Social Democracy

Voice – Social Democracy

Slovak National Party

Opposition - 71 MPs

Progressive Slovakia

Freedom and Solidarity

Christian Democratic Movement

Slovakia - For the People - Christian Union

Information based on election results of 2023.

Main functions of the National Council

Law-making

It approves the Constitution,

constitutional laws and other

laws and it controls their

upholding. Draft laws may be

introduced by MPs,

Oversight

EU matters and

parliamentary

Power of creation

It supervises the Government

and holds ministers

It has the power to establish

its own bodies (Speaker,

diplomacy

accountable through reports,

interpellations and Question

Hour. It can pass a vote of no

confidence in the government

or individual ministers.

Deputy-Speakers, committees

and their chairpersons) and

other bodies of state

It has specific powers in

relation to EU affairs, and it

cooperates with other

committees and the

administration (e.g., ministries,

the Supreme Audit Office).

parliaments, regional groups,

international organizations.

Government.

Brief history of the National Council

1993 onwards:

1918-1939: Slovaks

1945-1989: Under socialism

In this authoritative period, the

Parliament only formally

Modern period

in Czechoslovakia

In the new unitary state, Slovaks

were represented in the National

Assembly. Geopolitical changes

led to the creation of the

In 1993, the sovereign Slovak

Republic was founded. The first

free elections in an independent

state were held in 1994. In 2004,

Slovakia became the Member

State of the EU and NATO.

confirmed decisions of the

regime. A turning point came in

1968 under Alexander Dubček

when the Slovak Socialist

Republic was established within

the new federation.

autonomous Slovak Country.

In December 1938, the first

Nowadays, the National Council

is already in its ninth term.

elections to the Assembly of the

Slovak Country were held.

1939-1945: Slovak State

1848: Slovak

1989–1992:

and resistance

parliamentarism

Democratization

The Velvet Revolution brought

free elections. In 1992, the Federal

Assembly decided on the

The Assembly declared

in the Kingdom of Hungary

The roots of the current Slovak

parliamentarism go back to the

first Slovak National Council. Its

seat was in Myjava. The first

Speaker was Jozef Milan

independence of the so-called

Slovak State. The Assembly had

limited powers. The history of the

current National Council dates

back to the establishment of the

new Slovak National Council as

a representative institution

of the anti-fascist resistance

in December 1943.

dissolution of the Czech and

Slovak Federal Republic. The 1992

Slovak Constitution changed the

name “Slovak National Council”

to the “National Council of the

Slovak Republic.”

Hurban, assisted by Ľudovít Štúr

and Michal Miloslav Hodža.

Chancellery of the National Council of the Slovak Republic

All

organizational,

specialized

and

Parliamentary Institute is one of the

departments of the Chancellery. It provides

analytical, informational and educational

activities. Parliamentary Library and

Parliamentary Archives belong to the

Parliamentary Institute.

technical tasks related to the activities of

the National Council and its committees

are performed by the Chancellery of the

National Council of the Slovak Republic.

It is a parliamentary administration,

composed of numerous departments.

Parliamentary Institute regularly prepares

analytical materials focused on current

topics discussed in the National Council,

responses to requests from the officials,

committees, MPs or other parliaments.

The Chancellery is managed by the

Secretary General who is appointed by the

Speaker of the National Council. Currently,

the Secretary General is Daniel Guspan.

Did you know?

Unlike many parliaments in Europe

The current building of the

National Council was used for the

first time in 1994. It is situated next

to the Bratislava Castle which is

also used by the National Council.

The historical building is situated

on the Župné Square in Bratislava.

with multiple electoral districts,

Slovakia treats the entire country as

one multi-member constituency

for the National Council elections. To

vote, one has to reach the age of 18.

CHANCELLERY OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

DEPARTMENT OF PARLIAMENTARY INSTITUTE

september 2025

Prepared by: Kristína Rankovová, PhD., Parliamentary Institute

Approved by: Mgr. Natália Švecová, director of Parliamentary Institute

The information used in the material is current as of the date of its publication. The publication of the material is possible

only with the consent of the Parliamentary Institute and the authors. The material has not been linguistically edited.