Archive · 17 Dec 2025
Slovaks Protest Government's Judicial System Changes
A lot of people in Slovakia are very upset with their government.
The government has made some big changes to the laws, like getting rid of a group that protects people who report bad things happening.
The people protesting think these changes are bad and will make it harder to fight crime.
They also think the government is trying to make the country less connected to Europe.
The government says they are just fixing problems with the old laws.
This is one of the biggest protests since a lot of people protested earlier this year about the country getting closer to Russia.
Thousands of Slovaks protested against government changes to the judicial system.
The protests were organized by the opposition party Progressive Slovakia.
Changes include dismantling the whistleblower protection agency and altering procedures for crown witnesses.
Protesters believe these changes are damaging the rule of law and helping organized crime.
The government argues that the old whistleblower agency was politically abused.
- Who
- Thousands of Slovaks, led by the opposition party Progressive Slovakia
- What
- Protests against government changes to the judicial system
- When
- Tuesday, December 16
- Where
- Bratislava and eight other cities in Slovakia
- Why
- To protest changes they believe are damaging the rule of law and helping organized crime
- Protest Organizer
- Progressive Slovakia
- Protest Locations
- Bratislava and 8 other cities
- Government Changes
- Dismantled whistleblower protection agency, altered crown witness procedures, weakened financial crime codes, revamped public broadcaster, pushed constitutional changes
- Government's Stance
- Claims old whistleblower agency was politically abused
- Opposition's View
- Changes are destroying the rule of law
- Previous Protests
- Several large protests since 2023, including one in February against foreign policy shifts
- EU Scrutiny
- Raised due to constitutional changes asserting national sovereignty over some EU laws