Today, Explained The authoritarian hangover
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Feb 24, 2026 A look at how a party turned public media into a partisan tool and how hard it is to unwind those changes. A discussion of political tradeoffs when trying to reverse authoritarian moves without alienating voters. A look at stalled social reforms, presidential defeat, and how frustrated voters drift toward far-right alternatives.
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Anchor Turned State TV Architect
- Michał Rachoń went from a tiny conservative station to running Polish state TV after Law and Justice won in 2015.
- He transformed the outlet with conspiratorial programming, boosting ratings and normalizing anti-liberal narratives that later persisted off public TV.
Liberals Pulled The Plug On State TV
- After the 2023 government change, coalition forces stormed the TVP building and switched the broadcast off, removing Rachoń from air.
- Rachoń quickly reassembled at his old small station and replicated his state-TV style to build a large private outlet.
Restoration Tactics Can Undermine Legitimacy
- Shutting down an institution like state TV can feel illegal and damaging even to supporters of democracy, undermining liberal legitimacy.
- Dominika Lasota and others saw the takeover as Orwellian, eroding trust in the new government despite anti-authoritarian goals.