A referendum held in Slovakia on Saturday aimed at ending lifelong payments to former prime ministers, including populist leader Robert Fico, failed to meet the required voter turnout and was declared invalid. Only 16.1 percent of eligible voters participated, falling short of the 50 percent threshold needed for the referendum to be binding.

The vote also included questions on whether to reinstate the office of the special prosecutor and the National Criminal Agency, bodies responsible for investigating crime and corruption. Both institutions had previously been dissolved or sidelined, and the referendum was prompted by public concerns over governance and transparency.

This plebiscite followed a citizens’ petition signed by more than 350,000 Slovaks, a notable number given the country’s population of approximately 5.4 million and the legal requirement to call a referendum. Despite the mobilization behind the petition, low voter engagement once again undermined the effort, continuing a pattern observed in Slovakia’s referendum history. Since the country’s independence, only one referendum—on European Union membership in 2003—has been validated due to sufficient turnout.

Observers note that low participation in referendums may reflect voter fatigue or skepticism about the impact of such votes. Proponents of the measures argued that abolishing lifelong payments to former leaders was necessary to reduce government expenses and increase political accountability. Meanwhile, supporters of reinstating the special prosecutor and the criminal agency said this would strengthen Slovakia’s ability to fight corruption and organized crime.

The government has yet to outline next steps following the invalid referendum, but the outcome raises questions about public engagement with institutional reforms and the effectiveness of direct democracy mechanisms in Slovakia.