• Wednesday, 20 November 2024

Polish ruling coalition collapses as proposed media law stirs dispute

Polish ruling coalition collapses as proposed media law stirs dispute
Poland's conservative coalition government collapsed on Wednesday following Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's dismissal of Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Gowin. Gowin's conservative Porozumenie (Agreement) party decided to leave the coalition government as well as the joint parliamentary group with the ruling PiS (Law and Justice) party. From now on, Porozumenie plans to act as an independent parliamentary group, spokesperson Jan Strzek announced on Twitter. On Tuesday, Morawiecki dismissed Gowin, who had been serving as Poland's development minister as well as its deputy prime minister. The sacking was reportedly due to Gowin's failure to back a new broadcasting law restricting non-European media outlets from operating in Poland, widely seen as a move to tighten government control of the media landscape, as well as for the lack of progress on an economic stimulus programme aimed at bolstering the country's post-pandemic economy. Parliament is due to vote on the broadcasting law on Wednesday, though it remains unclear whether the PiS can muster the necessary majority without Porozumenie's support.