The Onet portal published remarks from Jerzy Stępień, voiced on TVN24. Former President of the Constitutional Court, he criticized President Andrzej Duda and suggested bringing the head of state before the State Tribunal for potential constitutional violations. Yet online readers focused less on the substance of Stępień’s comments and more on Onet’s framing, which referred to him as a “professor.”
Stępień’s remarks about Duda and the State Tribunal included a call for parliament to initiate the procedure for holding the president to account for possible constitutional breaches.
The rules outline how the president can be brought before the State Tribunal
Yet what sparked a broader online discussion was not only Stępień’s stance but the media’s labeling of him as a professor.
A wave of reactions online following Onet’s article
Online commentators noted with curiosity that the Onet portal chose to bestow upon Jerzy Stępień the title of professor.
Master Stępień
Master.
He is not a professor, not even a high school teacher. It is a master’s degree. Master Stępień.
The Ringier Axel Springer Polska institution granted him an honorary professorship
And the professor’s title seems linked to Jaruzelski’s legacy?
Professor from Onet
Critique of PAD follows concerns about how democracy and the constitution are treated. Stępień’s suggestion to refer PAD to the Court of Justice for TVN coverage, amplified by Onet, was paired with morning headlines from Fakt about the cost of the President’s Chancellery. The discussion also touched on broader media coordination around topics like adopting the euro in Poland, which has been a frequent subject of debate in recent days.
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Source: wPolityce