Prime Minister of Slovakia

The prime minister of Slovakia, officially the Chairman of the government of the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Predseda vlády Slovenskej republiky), commonly referred to in Slovakia as Predseda vlády or informally as Premiér, is the head of the government of the Slovak Republic. Officially, the officeholder is the third-highest constitutional official in Slovakia after the President of the Republic (appointer) and Chairman of the National Council; in practice, the appointee is the country's leading political figure.

Chairman of the Government of the Slovak Republic
Predseda vlády Slovenskej republiky
Incumbent
Robert Fico
since 25 October 2023
Member ofEuropean Council
ResidenceEpiscopal Summer Palace
AppointerPresident of the Republic
Term lengthDepending on the support of the National Council
Formation1 January 1993
First holderVladimír Mečiar
Salaryc. 132,000 annually[1]
(2024)
Websitevlada.gov.sk

Since the creation of the office in 1969, fifteen different people have served as head of government. Since 1993, when Slovakia gained independence, nine people have occupied the function. On 25 October 2023, Robert Fico became Prime Minister of Slovakia.

History

The office of Prime Minister of Slovakia was established in 1969 by the Constitutional Act on the Czechoslovak Federation. A similar office had existed from 1918 when various officials were presiding over executive bodies governing the Slovak part of Czechoslovakia or the Slovak State respectively. Since 1993, when the independent Slovak Republic was established, there have been nine persons to hold the office. Since 25 October 2023, the Prime Minister of Slovakia has been Robert Fico.

Powers and role

Since Slovakia is a parliamentary republic the prime minister is accountable to the National Council. The Slovak Constitution provides that upon the accession to the office each prime minister must gain and thereafter maintain the confidence of the Parliament. As soon as the prime minister loses the confidence, the president is obliged to dismiss him and designate a new prime minister or entrust the dismissed prime minister to act as a caretaker with limited powers.

The prime minister is the most powerful office in state, since he commands and presides over the government. Although it is not the prime minister but the president who appoints ministers in Cabinet, the president appoints ministers on the advice of the prime minister.

Designated Prime Minister of Slovakia

Designated Prime Minister of Slovakia (Slovak: designovaný predseda vlády) is an unofficial title for a person who has been entrusted by the president of the Slovak Republic with forming a new government and replacing the outgoing prime minister. This title, as well as the authorization of the president to entrust the designated prime minister, is not set by an act but is a legal or, more precisely, constitutional tradition. According to this tradition, the president designates a person who has support of the majority of deputies in the National Council.

List of Prime Ministers of Slovakia

Czechoslovak Republic

Autonomous Land of Slovakia (1938–1939)

Slovak Republic (1939–1945)

Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1969–1990)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeParty
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Štefan Sádovský
(1928–1984)
1 January
1969
5 May
1969
124 daysKSS
Peter Colotka
(1925–2019)
5 May
1969
13 October
1988
19 years and 161 daysKSS
Ivan Knotek
(1936–2020)
13 October
1988
23 June
1989
253 daysKSS
Pavel Hrivnák
(1931–1995)
23 June
1989
8 December
1989
168 daysKSS
Milan Čič
(1932–2012)
8 December
1989
6 March
1990
88 daysKSS

Czech and Slovak Federative Republic (1990–1992)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePartyGovernment
Composition
Election
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Milan Čič
(1932–2012)
6 March
1990
27 June
1990
113 daysVPNČič
caretaker
Vladimír Mečiar
(born 1942)
1st term
27 June
1990
6 May
1991
313 daysVPNMečiar I
VPNKDHDS
1990
Ján Čarnogurský
(born 1944)
6 May
1991
24 June
1992
1 year and 49 daysKDHČarnogurský
ODÚKDHDS
Vladimír Mečiar
(born 1942)
2nd term
24 June
1992
31 December
1992
190 daysHZDSMečiar II
HZDSSNS
1992

Slovak Republic (1993–present)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officePartyCabinetCompositionElection
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Vladimír Mečiar
(born 1942)
1 January
1993
15 March
1994
1 year, 73 daysHZDSMečiar IIHZDS • SNS1992
Jozef Moravčík
(born 1945)
15 March
1994
13 December
1994
273 daysDEÚSMoravčíkSDĽ • KDH • DEÚS • NDS
Vladimír Mečiar
(born 1942)
13 December
1994
30 October
1998
3 years, 321 daysHZDSMečiar IIIHZDS • SNS • ZRS1994
Mikuláš Dzurinda
(born 1956)
30 October
1998
16 October
2002
7 years, 247 daysSDK[a]Dzurinda ISDK • SDĽ • SMK • SOP1998
16 October
2002
4 July
2006
SDKÚDzurinda IISDKÚ • SMK • KDH • ANO
(2002–2006)
2002
SDKÚ • SMK • ANO
(2006)
Robert Fico
(born 1964)
4 July
2006
8 July
2010
4 years, 4 daysSmerFico ISmer • SNS • ĽS – HZDS2006
Iveta Radičová
(born 1956)
8 July
2010
4 April
2012
1 year, 271 daysSDKÚ – DSRadičováSDKÚ – DS • SaS • KDH • Bridge2010
Robert Fico
(born 1964)
4 April
2012
23 March
2016
5 years, 352 daysSmerFico IISmer2012
23 March
2016
22 March
2018
Fico IIISmer • SNS • Bridge • Network
(2016)
2016
Smer • SNS • Bridge
(2016–2018)
Peter Pellegrini
(born 1975)
22 March
2018
21 March
2020
1 year, 365 daysSmerPellegriniSmer • SNS • Bridge
Igor Matovič
(born 1973)
21 March
2020
1 April
2021
1 year, 11 daysOĽaNOMatovičOĽaNO • We Are Family • SaS • For the People2020
Eduard Heger
(born 1976)
1 April
2021
15 May
2023
2 years, 44 daysOĽaNO[b]HegerOĽaNO • We Are Family • SaS • For the People
(2021–2022)
OĽaNO • We Are Family • For the People
(2022–2023)
Ľudovít Ódor
(born 1976)
15 May
2023
25 October
2023
163 daysIndependentÓdorTechnocratic cabinet
Robert Fico
(born 1964)
25 October
2023
Incumbent189 daysSmerFico IVSmer • Hlas • SNS2023

Timeline

Ľudovít ÓdorEduard HegerIgor MatovičPeter PellegriniIveta RadičováRobert FicoMikuláš DzurindaJozef MoravčíkJán ČarnogurskýVladimír MečiarMilan ČičPavel HrivnákIvan KnotekPeter ColotkaŠtefan Sádovský

Statistics

Slovak Republic (1993–present)

Prime MinisterDate of birthAge at inauguration
(first term)
Time in office
(total)
Age at retirement
(last term)
Date of deathLongevity
Mečiar, VladimírVladimír Mečiar1942072626 July 1942(26 July 1942)50 15950 years, 159 days05 0295 years, 29 days56 09656 years, 96 daysLiving29,86581 years, 280 days
Moravčík, JozefJozef Moravčík1945031919 March 1945(19 March 1945)49 36148 years, 361 days00 273273 days50 26949 years, 269 daysLiving28,89879 years, 43 days
Dzurinda, MikulášMikuláš Dzurinda195502044 February 1956(4 February 1956)43 26842 years, 268 days07 2477 years, 247 days51 15050 years, 150 daysLiving24,92468 years, 87 days
Radičová, IvetaIveta Radičová195612077 December 1956(7 December 1956)53 21353 years, 213 days01 2711 year, 271 days55 11955 years, 119 daysLiving24,61767 years, 146 days
Pellegrini, PeterPeter Pellegrini197510066 October 1975(6 October 1975)42 16742 years, 167 days01 3651 year, 365 days44 16644 years, 167 daysLiving17,74048 years, 208 days
Matovič, IgorIgor Matovič1973051111 May 1973(11 May 1973)46 31546 years, 315 days01 0111 year, 11 days47 32547 years, 325 daysLiving18,61850 years, 356 days
Heger, EduardEduard Heger197605033 May 1976(3 May 1976)44 33344 years, 333 days02 0442 years, 44 days47 01247 years, 12 daysLiving17,53047 years, 364 days
Ódor, ĽudovítĽudovít Ódor197607022 July 1976(2 July 1976)46 31746 years, 317 days00 163163 days47 11547 years, 115 daysLiving17,47047 years, 304 days
Fico, RobertRobert Fico1964091515 September 1964(15 September 1964)41 29241 years, 292 days07 24810 years, 180 days00 000 IncumbentLiving21,77859 years, 229 days

Notes

References

See also