On 26 September 2025, the Slovak parliament adopted the 23rd amendment to the Constitution, introducing an explicit “national identity” clause and a series of provisions presented as measures to “protect the family”. The amendment immediately drew international attention, including from the Venice Commission, which issued an Opinion two days earlier highlighting both procedural irregularities and substantive concerns. Yet, despite the alarm it has caused, the amendment’s immediate impact is likely to be limited: most of its provisions remain largely symbolic without accompanying legislation or supportive judicial interpretation. Overemphasising its textual changes therefore risks overstating Prime Minister Fico’s manoeuvres. Instead, the real battleground will unfold in legal disputes over the amendment’s meaning and reach – with the Constitutional Court, petitioners, and the broader constitutional interpretive community expected to play a decisive role.