Partyless Local Governmentists accuse Polish Television of ignoring them in political relations and polls, which in their opinion violates the principle of equal access to public media.
The origin of the dispute
Judicial TVP skirmishes
- In September 2023, the committee sued TVP for removing their result from the television discussion of the Estimator poll.
- The Legnica District Court ordered the sender to apologize and fully publish support data for BS.
- The Court of Appeal upheld the key part of the judgment and imposed an absolute ban on the omission of the group in future polls.
Mark Woch's latest appeal
On 27 July 2025, former presidential candidate Marek Woch sent an open letter to the head of TVP, MKiDN and KRRiT. citing the Constitution and the Broadcasting Act, he demands contact with those responsible for ensuring pluralism in public media. Woch reminds that BS have competed in all nationwide campaigns since 2023 and have won hundreds of thousands of votes (Full text of the letter available herej).
Dr n. Marek Woch – former candidate for the office of President of the Republic of Poland in the election of 2025 and President of the Unpartisan Group of Local Governmentists – joins us Poland, appealed to: Ms.Marta Cienkowska – Minister of Culture and National Heritage,
@MartaCienkowska Mr Tomasz Sygut – Director General of TVP S.A. in liquidation, Mr Paweł Majchr – Liquidator of Polish Radio, about absolute compliance with the rules of law commonly applicable, including the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, as regards equal access to public media for representatives of the group "Unpartyd and Local Governmentists". https://unparty self-governments.org.pl/dr-n-pr-marek-woch-requests-observation-law-in-range-access-to-public-through-party-and-self-government/ – Dr n. p. Marek Woch on his X profile
Why is the allegation of discrimination serious?
Legal obligations of TVP
| Legal basis | Key requirement |
|---|---|
| Constitution of the Republic of Poland, Article 11 | Freedom and equality of political parties |
| Political Party Act (1997), Article 5 | Access to public broadcasting |
| Broadcasting Act (1992), Article 23 | Obligation to allow presentation of positions |
| Regulation KRRiT (2003) | Fair and pluralistic presentation of positions |
The lack of coverage of BS activities or "cutting" them out of polls therefore violates not only good customs, but also literal regulations.
Effects of media "silence"
- Smaller recognition of the political brand – in 2023 BS had 3.1% support, but the lack of mention in the screen poll undermined their credibility in the eyes of voters.
- A decline in confidence in public media – The trial and judgment publicized in commercial media showed that TVP could manipulate the reception of the political scene.
Public media operate through the funding of citizens, so they should treat all registered committees equally – even those outside the mainstream. The omission of "smaller" undermines confidence in the whole information system and can affect the outcome of elections – and that is a real threat to democracy.
Partyless Local Governmentists have won the right to visibility in court, but they still complain of discrimination on TVP. Mark Wocha's open letter reminds decision-makers of the obligations arising from the Constitution and the laws. If TVP does not change its practices, she will face further legal disputes and public pressure.
