SINCE parliamentary elections in October, Poland’s far-right Law and Justice party (PiS) has controlled the country’s presidency and both chambers of parliament. It has spent its first two months in power tightening its grip over the security services, the constitutional tribunal and the civil service. Now it is purging the country’s public media. On December 31st parliament ignored a letter of concern from the European Union and passed an amendment to Poland’s media law that sacks the management of the public television and radio broadcasters, TVP and Polskie Radio, and empowers the treasury minister to appoint their successors. Meanwhile, as Poland moves closer to Hungarian-style illiberal democracy, the European Commission is warning that there may be consequences.
TVP’s directors resigned the night the law was passed, before it came into force. Poland’s Radio 1 has protested by playing the Polish national anthem every other hour since January 1st, alternating it with the EU’s anthem, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”. The country’s centrist and liberal media outlets condemned the new law, along with several other illiberal changes...Continue reading
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