Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Poland this week to protest against a new media bill that opponents say is an attempt to silence a TV channel critical of the government.
According to the BBC, the government says the law is needed to stop hostile foreign powers taking control of its broadcasters, but the BBC sees the move as an attempt to put pressure on United States company Discovery to sell the country’s biggest TV network, TVN. Discovery owns TVN through a subsidiary based in the Netherlands.
The report suggests the draft law threatens to sour relations with the US, a key ally, and deepen European Union concern over media freedom in Poland.
Demonstrations were mounted this week outside the Polish parliament in Warsaw, as well as in Krakow, Wroclaw, Poznan, Lublin and Szczecin.
The government has argued that existing rules banning companies based outside the European Economic Area from directly owning broadcasters should be tightened to prevent Chinese and Russian firms from controlling Polish media outlets.
The political contest over the law has thrown Poland’s coalition government into disarray, with the sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Gowin – who opposes the media law – on Tuesday. Gowin leads a junior partner, Agreement, in the United Right coalition that has governed since 2015.
The loss of Agreement’s 13 MPs means the coalition will no longer command a majority in the lower house of parliament, the BBC says.
The bill will now pass to the opposition-controlled Senate, which may make amendments or reject the bill – but the lower house of parliament can overturn any changes and finally approve the bill.