Polish ruling party loses majority amid rift over media bill
Team Udayavani, Aug 11, 2021, 1:23 PM IST
Warsaw: Poland’s ruling right-wing party lost its parliamentary majority on Wednesday after a small coalition partner announced that it was leaving amid a rift over legislation it views as an attack on media freedom.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki kicked the head of the Agreement Party, Jaroslaw Gowin, a deputy prime minister, out of the government on Tuesday.
Gowin’s party said on Wednesday that it was formally leaving the governing coalition, meaning that the right-wing ruling party, Law and Justice, has lost its slim majority in parliament.
A vote was expected later on Wednesday on the bill at the centre of the dispute, which would prevent non-European owners from having controlling stakes in Polish media companies.
The legislation is widely viewed as an effort to silence an independent, US-owned television broadcaster that is critical of the government.
It would push American company Discovery Inc. to sell its controlling stake in TVN, a network with many channels that operates Poland’s all-news station TVN24 and has a flagship evening news programme watched daily by millions.
Law and Justice appeared poised to pick up some votes from opposition lawmakers, including some from Confederation, a small party made up of libertarian and nationalist politicians.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
Trump will attend the wake of a slain NYPD officer as he goes after Biden over crime
UN secy-general appoints top NDMA official as special representative for disaster risk reduction
Jaishankar meets Malaysian counterpart, discusses ‘multifaceted’ bilateral ties
Baltimore bridge collapse: Entire crew of container ship ‘Indian’
Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge, bringing it down. Rescuers are looking for people in water
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
Rs 20.14 cr unaccounted cash seized in poll run up in Karnataka
HC grants bail to man held for sexually assaulting ‘friend’ at Mumbai beach in 2021
Congress’s Kolar conundrum remains unsolved despite CM, DCM attempt to quell dissent
Mangaluru: Illegal slaughterhouse raided by police, Three arrested
‘No evidence of wrongdoing’: CBI closes UPA-era Air India aircraft leasing