Poland’s President Vetoes EU Digital Services Act Implementation

Poland’s President, Karol Nawrocki, has vetoed legislation aimed at implementing the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), delivering a major blow to the government’s efforts to align with EU digital regulations and igniting a fresh debate over online freedom and state censorship.

The bill, passed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government, was designed to bring Poland in line with the DSA, a sweeping EU framework intended to regulate online platforms and combat illegal and harmful content. However, President Nawrocki, who is aligned with the conservative opposition, rejected the measure, arguing that it posed a serious threat to freedom of expression.

In a strongly worded statement, Nawrocki compared the proposed law to George Orwell’s 1984, warning that it would create a system where government officials decide what is acceptable online. “A situation in which a government official decides what is permitted on the internet is reminiscent of the Ministry of Truth,” he said, adding that he could not approve legislation that effectively introduces administrative censorship.

Under the vetoed bill, regulators would have been granted powers to block online content from individuals or organizations suspected of links to 27 prohibited offences. These included criminal threats, incitement to suicide, paedophilia, promotion of totalitarian ideologies, and incitement to hatred based on national, ethnic, racial, or religious grounds.

The legislation also proposed involving non-governmental organizations in monitoring online activity. These NGOs would have been tasked with identifying potentially harmful content and submitting it for removal to the Office for Electronic Communications or, in the case of video platforms, the National Broadcasting Council. Nawrocki objected strongly to this arrangement, saying it would allow content to be removed without a court order, leaving citizens with little recourse.

According to the president, the law would have placed an unfair burden on ordinary people, forcing them to “fight with officials” to defend their right to express opinions online. He urged the government to return to the drawing board and develop a version of the legislation that protects both public order and constitutional freedoms.

Prime Minister Tusk has acknowledged that Poland could face fines from the European Union for failing to implement the DSA but has suggested the government may find alternative ways to comply without passing the vetoed law through parliament again.

The standoff highlights growing tensions across Europe over how to balance the fight against illegal online content with the protection of free speech. In Poland, the veto has positioned President Nawrocki as a vocal defender of digital civil liberties, while setting the stage for a broader political and legal battle over the future of internet regulation in the country.