Czarzasty urges Nawrocki to sign law allowing blocks on illegal online content

Marshal's appeal on X

On Monday evening, 12 October, Sejm Marshal Włodzimierz Czarzasty published a recording on X in which he said that "we are all terrified by what is happening in schools" and "we are all terrified by hate online". He addressed President Karol Nawrocki directly and urged him to sign the bill. Articles note that Czarzasty has for months held up bills submitted by the president, which he describes as a "marshal's veto".

In the recording he appealed to Nawrocki and to Przemysław Czarnek, whom he named in the same appeal. He rejected the argument that the law restricts freedom, and he pressed the president on family.

Mr President, do you have children? I have children too. I also have a granddaughter.

He went on to argue that the bill targets harmful content rather than legitimate speech.

This law limits bad things, it limits stupidity.

He closed by urging the two sides to act together, saying the matter was worth it.

What the bill does

The amendment to the act on providing electronic services and certain other acts was prepared by the Ministry of Digital Affairs. Its stated aim is a procedure for quickly issuing orders that restrict access to content violating the law online, while respecting the rights of network users. Under the draft, courts and competent authorities could issue such orders for content linked to crimes, hatred or fraud. Online service providers, including platforms, would have to block the content named in those decisions. Users whose content is restricted could apply for access to be restored.

Why the bill is back before the president

The amendment responds to President Nawrocki's veto in January of the first version of the amendment to the same act. That veto blocked implementation of the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which has applied for more than two years. Without implementation, Poland faces high financial penalties from the Court of Justice of the European Union (TSUE), according to the articles. Czarzasty's appeal therefore centres on a law the president has already once refused to sign in its earlier form.

Sejm vote and government response

The Sejm passed the bill in urgent mode on Thursday, 8 October, in the evening. Onet reports that Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking at a government meeting on the same Thursday, pointed to the need for rules that let the state block online hate speech immediately. The government framed this as a response to the recent attacks in schools.

What remains open

The articles report Czarzasty's appeal but do not report a decision by the president. The bill's fate therefore depends on Nawrocki, who has already vetoed an earlier version of the amendment.