Thousands protest in Prague against Czech media reform

Thousands of people took to the streets of Prague to demand media freedom and protest a government plan to restructure funding for the Czech public broadcaster. The demonstration in the city centre was organised by the civic initiative "Million Moments for Democracy"; protesters carried banners reading "Stop the government's arrogance and destruction" and "We do not want censorship back."

Smaller rallies have also taken place in recent days in Prague, Brno and other towns, as opposition to the package has spread beyond the capital.

The right‑wing, populist government of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has proposed abolishing the television licence and instead financing public television and radio from the state budget. The draft reform would also include a reduction in funding by more than 15 percent, raising fears about the independence of public broadcasters.

Parliamentary timetable and criticism

The bill cleared its first reading in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, during an unusual late‑night session. The timing and speed of the procedure drew sharp criticism from President Petr Pavel.

Pavel warned that the decision to debate the bill at night over the weekend undermines "faith in the good intentions of its proponents," and he has urged broader public and expert discussion before any major overhaul. The former general, elected as an independent, has clashed with Babiš on several issues and stressed that public television is a pillar of democracy.

As debates continue in parliament, organisers say they will maintain pressure on lawmakers and keep public attention on the potential effects of the reform on editorial independence.

Photo: press material from the event