Slovak President Approves Two of Three Opposition Referendum Questions

President Peter Pellegrini has approved two out of three questions proposed for a referendum by opposition parties, clearing the way for the vote to proceed. The referendum will take place, but political analysts suggest it is unlikely to bring down the current government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico's coalition. Pellegrini, a former prime minister who now serves as Slovakia's head of state, made the decision after reviewing the constitutional validity of the proposed questions. The referendum represents the latest attempt by opposition forces to challenge Fico's Smer-SD party, which returned to power in 2023 after winning parliamentary elections on a platform critical of military aid to Ukraine and supportive of closer ties with Russia.