After the end of the second circular of the 2025 presidential election, in which Karol Nawrocki won (50.89% of the vote), and Rafał Trzaskowski (49.11%) suffered defeat, the political atmosphere in Poland underwent a crucial transformation. Although the focus of the press and public opinion is primarily on government reflection and possible personnel changes, more and more voices besides appeared towards public media – especially Polish Television.
According to Radio Zet journalist, Mariusz Gierszewski, all TVP employees were called to meet at the station's office on Woronicza Street in Warsaw. "All journalists on TVP (reporters, publishers, etc.) invited for next day at 9:00 am to Voronica" – he wrote on the X portal.
Although the details of this study are not yet known, many people see the possible start of the “cleaning” in editorial offices. Could this be a reaction from the Government of the Civic Coalition to election results? Should public media be taken over by fresh forces?
Criticism by the Minister from Holowna: ‘A real change must be taken’
One of the first voices that may propose the request for changes in TVP came from Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Minister of Funds and Regional Policy. In 1 of the public comments, the head of MFiPR did not spare criticism:
"I know it's bitter words, but it's better to say it now than to cry for 2 years: more of the same brings more of the same. And that is what we saw as a consequence of the elections.”
The Minister stressed the shortcomings in the implementation of key improvement projects, including the TVP Act as a public tv or anti-cuvet regulation concerning the management of State Treasury companies. According to Pełczyńska, the current situation in media and economical policy leads to a unchangeable pattern that does not foster real change in society.
TVP as a painful subject for the full coalition
Public media – and TVP in peculiar – have been a controversial subject in the public debate for years. After the civilian Coalition took power in October 2023, much hope was attached to the anticipation of moving distant from the model of politicising public media. But as you can see, reality has proved more complex.
Some experts point out that Trzaskovsky's election failure can be interpreted as a consequence of the deficiency of full independency and alleged bias of TVP. Consequently, both opposition environments and any government communities request a thorough modernisation and improvement of public media.
Court precedents and global case law on the independency of public media
Cases related to the independency of public media are not limited to Poland. The Court of Justice of the European Union has repeatedly stressed the importance of the independency of public media institutions in the associate States. In its judgement of 3 March 2022 (Case C-70/21), the CEU stated that the violation of the independency of the media regulator infringes the regulation of law and may lead to suspension of Union funds.
Also in Poland, the ultimate Court in its 2021 judgement (II UK 6/21) stated that actions of public administration affecting the autonomy and independency of public media may violate constitutional principles of freedom of speech and access to information.
These precedents show that all step towards limiting TVP independency can have serious consequences not only political but besides legal and financial.
What's next with TVP?
For now, it is hard to foretell precisely what changes are expected by TVP. The call for journalists to the gathering may have different characteristics – from planned restructuring of the staff, through evaluation talks, to actual "ideological cleanness". However, the balance between the free press and the government's political agenda will be crucial.
If the Citizens' Coalition wants to avoid accusations of politicising the media, it must guarantee that decision-making processes are transparent and that changes are made in accordance with legal and global standards.
Summary: Public media as a test of democratic values
Events around TVP are not just an interior substance of the station or government. It is besides a test whether Poland has truly put on the way of repairing state institutions, or is returning to the patterns of erstwhile tenure. If changes are carried out transparently and with respect to the principles of media independence, they can benefit both citizens and the image of the country in Europe.
It is worth following the next days – the gathering on TVP may be the beginning of crucial changes... or another political chapter of the game for control of the narrative.
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Purge on TVP after the election? Journalists called to the rug
