Prime Minister of Slovakia

Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic;
	; Coat of Arms of the Slovak Republic;
	Incumbent; Robert Fico; since 4 April 2012
Residence	Summer Archbishop's Palace
Appointer	President
Term length	The Prime minister's term of office depends on support of the National Council.
Inaugural holder	Štefan Sádovský
Formation	2 January 1969
Website	http://www.vlada.gov.sk/

The Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic (Slovak: Predseda vlády Slovenskej republiky or Premiér) is the head of the Government of Slovakia and the third highest constitutional official after the President of Slovakia and the Speaker of the National Council. Since 1993 seven prime ministers (five individuals only) have been serving in the office. On April 4, 2012, Robert Fico became the 7th and current prime minister.

History

The office of Prime Minister was established in 1969 by the Constitutional Law of Federation. However, 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. From 1993, when the independent Slovak Republic was established, there have been five persons to hold the office. From 2012 the current Prime Minister is 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 PM, 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

First Czechoslovak Republic (1918-1938)

Minister plenipotentiary for administration of Slovakia

Vavro Šrobár (4 November 1918 – 14 November 1918)

Land President of Slovakia

Ján Drobný (1 July 1928 - 1929)
Jozef Országh (1929–1938)
Julián Šimko (1938–1939)

Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938-1939)

Prime Ministers of the Autonomy Government of Slovakia

Jozef Tiso (7 October 1938 – 9 March 1939)
Jozef Sivák (9 March 1939 – 11 March 1939)
Karol Sidor (11 March 1939 – 14 March 1939)

First Slovak Republic (1939–1945)

Prime Ministers of the first Slovak Republic

Jozef Tiso (14 March 1939 - 17 October 1939)
Vojtech Tuka (27 October 1939 - 5 September 1944)
Štefan Tiso (5 September 1944 - 4 April 1945)

Third Czechoslovak Republic (1945-1948)

Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1948-1989)

(1 January 1969 - 5 March 1990 called "Slovak Socialist Republic" within Czechoslovakia)

Prime Ministers of the Slovak Socialist Republic

Štefan Sádovský: 2 January 1969 – 5 May 1969
Peter Colotka: 5 May 1969 – 12 October 1988
Ivan Knotek: 13 October 1988 – 22 June 1989
Pavel Hrivnák: 23 June 1989 – 8 December 1989

Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (1990-1992)

(6 March 1990 - 31 December 1992 called "Slovak Republic" within Czechoslovakia)

Prime Ministers of the Slovak Republic

Milan Čič: 10 December 1989 – 27 June 1990 Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
Vladimír Mečiar: 27 June 1990 – 6 May 1991 Public Against Violence
Ján Čarnogurský: 6 May 1991 – 24 June 1992 Christian Democratic Movement
Vladimír Mečiar: 24 June 1992 – 31 December 1992 Movement for a Democratic Slovakia

Slovak Republic (1993-Present)

From 1 January 1993 after the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia

Nº	Name	Elected	Entered office	Left office	Political party
1	Vladimír Mečiar	1992	1 January 1993	16 March 1994	People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
2	Jozef Moravčík	—	16 March 1994	13 December 1994	Independent
3	Vladimír Mečiar	1994	13 December 1994	29 October 1998	People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
4	Mikuláš Dzurinda	1998 2002	30 October 1998	4 July 2006	Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party
5	Robert Fico	2006	4 July 2006	8 July 2010	Direction – Social Democracy
6	Iveta Radičová	2010	8 July 2010	4 April 2012	Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party
7	Robert Fico	2012	4 April 2012	Incumbent	Direction – Social Democracy