Polish President Karol Nawrocki vetoed a bill allowing regulators to order online content blocked before a court ruling, renewing a dispute over illegal material and safeguards for free expression.
Nawrocki’s Nov. 13 filing named the President of the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) and the Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) as officials who could issue orders without prior court approval. The proposal also set out how content could be removed or blocked and how material taken down without legal basis could be restored.
The filing said the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA) does not directly require Poland to create this national administrative system. Nawrocki argued that the bill’s blocking mechanism could threaten freedom of expression. The Ministry of Digital Affairs said the proposal included safeguards and allowed court review after an objection.
The ministry said the bill was intended to help authorities respond to unlawful online content, including hate speech. It also argued that citizens would bear the cost of the veto, while large digital platforms and people breaking the law would benefit. Those are the ministry’s assessments.
This was Nawrocki’s second veto of legislation tied to the DSA. His filing dates his first veto to Jan. 9, 2026; Parliament later separated the blocking provisions from a DSA implementation bill that he signed Sept. 4.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that protecting children from online crime should unite people across political lines. The ministry said it would continue its work on online safety.
