Many protesters waved EU flags and chanted "Free Media!"

and "We want a veto!"

- to ask President Andrzej Duda not to promulgate this law.

"We need freedom of expression," said Emilia Zlotinska, 38, a protester.

"I would like the president not to sign" the text.

Andrzej Lech, 71, with Polish and EU flags in hand, also found the law "unacceptable".

"It is my duty to be here (...) and whenever our freedom is in danger," he said.

Renowned journalists and representatives of the opposition, including former President of the European Council Donald Tusk (2014-2019), addressed the crowd, lit by Christmas lights.

"We are here today to defend the freedom of the media. If we stick together, in solidarity, we will win. We will get rid of this government together", launched Mr. Tusk, today at the head of the Platform civic, a right-wing opposition party.

Former European Council President Donald Tusk, now head of the Civic Platform, a right-wing opposition party, speaks during a press freedom demonstration on December 19, 2021 in Warsaw Wojtek RADWANSKI AFP

Similar protests were organized elsewhere in Poland.

The law wanted by the populist PiS (Law and Justice) party in power was voted on Friday by parliament in a surprise ballot.

It will prevent companies outside the European Economic Area from having a majority stake in Polish media companies.

In particular, this would force the American group Discovery to sell its own in TVN, one of the largest private television networks in Poland.

TVN24 is his 24-hour news channel and is seen as critical of the ruling conservatives.

The government, for its part, claims that the law will protect the Polish media landscape against potentially hostile actors, such as Russia.

The United States said it was "extremely disappointed" with the law and urged President Duda to veto it.

For Discovery, this text "should worry any company investing in Poland and anyone who supports democracy and freedom of the press".

Thousands of people demonstrate in front of the Palace of the Polish President in Warsaw against a new media law, December 19, 2021 Wojtek RADWANSKI AFP

The PiS already controls public television TVP, which has become a government propaganda medium, and much of the regional press.

Since this party came to power in 2015, Poland has fallen 46 places to 64th position in the press freedom NGO Reporters Without Borders ranking.

dt / dd / gw / mba / bds

© 2021 AFP