Polish conservative leaders have claimed that a “war has been declared against all free Poles,” after the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw revoked the broadcasting licenses of two major right-wing television stations, TV Republika and Telewizja wPolsce24.
The judicial decision has ignited accusations from the opposition, who claim it is a politically motivated assault on free speech orchestrated by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government and a politicized judiciary.
Zbigniew Ziobro, former justice minister and leading figure in the Law and Justice (PiS) party, called the ruling an “appalling verdict” and accused the judiciary of transforming into political agents in robes. “There is no doubt this is a political decision, a judge dressed up as a politician delivering a verdict according to the will of Donald Tusk, who has always aimed to liquidate the media,” he stated during a live broadcast on wPolsce24.
Ziobro warned that this decision represents more than just a legal setback for conservative media — it is part of a wider campaign to stifle opposition voices and cement government control over public discourse. “They want to shut the mouths of the media critical of this government and liquidate honest, democratic debate in Poland,” he declared. “This is the oxygen of democracy they are trying to suffocate.”
The ruling overturned the earlier decision by the National Broadcasting Council to grant the channels their licenses — both of which had enjoyed a considerable upturn in viewership after the Polish government’s overhaul of state broadcaster TVP earlier in its tenure.
Piotr Andrzejewski, deputy chairman of the State Tribunal, slammed the court’s actions as an abuse of power. “Judicial activism does not allow supplementing the law with content not contained within it,” he noted.
Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also lashed out at the ruling, claiming it signals the end of genuine democracy in Poland. “Today, this dictatorial power — this system in which we live — is not democracy. It is a facade,” Morawiecki warned, urging voters to rally in defense of free media ahead of the crucial presidential elections, the first round of which will be held on May 18.
Jacek Kurski, former head of public broadcaster TVP, described the day as “a black day for Polish democracy” and alleged an ongoing pattern of lawbreaking by the government. “Every day, there is some kind of spitting in the face,” he said, cautioning that authorities might attempt to rig the upcoming vote.
With President Andrzej Duda stepping down, the presidential election is set to be a defining moment. Current frontrunner Rafał Trzaskowski, Warsaw’s mayor and close ally of Donald Tusk, leads the field with 41.9 percent, ahead of PiS candidate Karol Nawrocki (22 percent) and Confederation’s Sławomir Mentzen (20.5 percent).
Run-off projections show that Trzaskowski is predicted to win comfortably in either scenario, defeating Nawrocki by 63 to 37 percent, or Mentzen by 58 to 42 percent.
However, perceived attempts by the government to seize control of the media could lead to ruffle the feathers of the electorate, and conservatives are warning that the assault on independent media is part of a broader power grab by Tusk’s government.
“We are dealing with people for whom democracy is just a word they use. In fact, these are people who think about absolute power,” Ziobro added.
