Some demonstrators arrived wearing pointed hats folded from newspaper sheets, a nod to Večerníček, the beloved animated figure who has introduced Czech Television’s nightly children’s bedtime stories for generations.
Critics have drawn parallels between the government’s proposed media bill and the sweeping changes seen in Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who maintained tight control over state media during his tenure.
Prime Minister Andrej Babis took office in December 2025 and has since faced mounting criticism over his coalition’s actions targeting the Czech media landscape.
“Political attacks against private and public media have become one of the hallmarks of Andrej Babis’ premiership,” said Pavol Szalai, Prague Bureau director of the international press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders, speaking in June.
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