Pirate Party Explained

Pirate Party
Ideology:Pirate politics

Pirate Party is a label adopted by certain political parties around the world.[1] Pirate parties support civil rights, digital rights, internet freedom, direct democracy (including e-democracy) or alternatively participation in government, reform of copyright and patent laws to make them more flexible and open to encourage innovation and creativity (opposition to patent-based monopolies), use of free and open-source software, free sharing of knowledge (open content and open access), information privacy, transparency, freedom of information, free speech, anti-corruption, net neutrality, importance of cybersecurity and protecting digital infrastructure from threats, decentralized technologies and platforms, self-governance in online spaces, strong encryption and anonymity to protect personal data and individual privacy both online and offline from mass surveillance, censorship and Big Tech's misuse.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Their libertarian philosophy is based on the idea that the Internet is a public space where individuals can access, share, and create content freely without government censorship or control. They argue that interference by governments and large IT corporations on cyberspace infringes on the right to live as one wishes, without fear or coercion, and that citizens should have the right to express their opinions freely and without restriction, even if those opinions are controversial or unpopular. The Pirate Party's focus on these ideas aligns well with the principles of civil libertarianism and cyberlibertarianism.[8]

While the name pirate party originally alluded to online piracy, members have made concerted efforts to connect pirate parties to all forms of piracy, from pirate radio to the Golden Age of Pirates. Pirate parties are often considered outside of the economic left–right spectrum or to have context-dependent appeal.[9]

History

The first Pirate Party to be established was the Pirate Party of Sweden (Swedish: Piratpartiet), whose website was launched on 1 January 2006 by Rick Falkvinge. Falkvinge was inspired to found the party after he found that Swedish politicians were generally unresponsive to Sweden's debate over changes to copyright law in 2005.[10]

The United States Pirate Party was founded on 6 June 2006 by University of Georgia graduate student Brent Allison. The party's concerns were abolishing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, reducing the length of copyrights from 95 years after publication or 70 years after the author's death to 14 years, and the expiry of patents that do not result in significant progress after four years, as opposed to 20 years. However, Allison stepped down as leader three days after founding the party.[11]

The Pirate Party of Austria (German: Piratenpartei Österreichs) was founded in July 2006 in the run-up to the 2006 Austrian legislative election by Florian Hufsky and Jürgen "Juxi" Leitner.[12]

The Pirate Party of Finland was founded in 2008 and entered the official registry of Finnish political parties in 2009.

The Pirate Party of the Czech Republic (Česká pirátská strana) was founded on 19 April 2009 by Jiří Kadeřávek.

The 2009 European Parliament election took place between the 4 and 7 June 2009, and various Pirate Parties stood candidates. The most success was had in Sweden, where the Pirate Party of Sweden won 7.1% of the vote, and had Christian Engström elected as the first ever Pirate Party Member of European Parliament (MEP).[13] [14] Following the introduction of the Treaty of Lisbon, the Pirate Party of Sweden were afforded another MEP in 2011, that being Amelia Andersdotter.

On 30 July 2009, the Pirate Party UK was registered with the Electoral Commission. Its first party leader was Andrew Robinson, and its treasurer was Eric Priezkalns.[15] [16] [17]

In April 2010, an international organisation to encourage cooperation and unity between Pirate Parties, Pirate Parties International, was founded in Belgium.[18]

In the 2011 Berlin state election to the Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin, the Pirate Party of Berlin (a state chapter of Pirate Party Germany) won 8.9% of the vote, which corresponded to winning 15 seats.[19] [20] John Naughton, writing for The Guardian, argued that the Pirate Party of Berlin's success could not be replicated by the Pirate Party UK, as the UK does not use a proportional representation electoral system.[21]

In the 2013 Icelandic parliamentary election, the Icelandic Pirate Party won 5.1% of the vote, returning three Pirate Party Members of Parliament. Those were Birgitta Jónsdóttir for the Southwest Constituency, Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson for Reykjavik Constituency North and Jón Þór Ólafsson for Reykjavik Constituency South.[22] [23] Birgitta had previously been an MP for the Citizens' Movement (from 2009 to 2013), representing Reykjavik Constituency South., it was the largest political party in Iceland, with 23.9% of the vote.[24]

The 2014 European Parliament election took place between the 22 and 24 May. Felix Reda was at the top of the list for Pirate Party Germany, and was subsequently elected as the party received 1.5% of the vote. Other notable results include the Czech Pirate Party, who received 4.8% of the vote, meaning they were 0.2% off getting elected, the Pirate Party of Luxembourg, who received 4.2% of the vote, and the Pirate Party of Sweden, who received 2.2% of the vote, but lost both their MEPs.[25]

Reda had previously worked as an assistant in the office of former Pirate Party MEP Amelia Andersdotter.[26] On 11 June 2014, Reda was elected vice-president of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament.[27] Reda was given the job of copyright reform rapporteur.[28]

The Icelandic Pirate Party was leading the national polls in March 2015, with 23.9%. The Independence Party polled 23.4%, only 0.5% behind the Pirate Party. According to the poll, the Pirate Party would win 16 seats in the Althing.[29] [30] In April 2016, in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal, polls showed the Icelandic Pirate Party at 43% and the Independence Party at 21.6%,[31] although the Pirate Party eventually won 15% of the vote and 10 seats in the 29 October 2016 parliamentary election.

In April 2017, a group of students at University of California, Berkeley formed a Pirate Party to participate in the Associated Students of the University of California senate elections, winning the only third-party seat.[32]

Czech Pirate Party entered the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament for the first time after the election held on 20 and 21 October 2017 with 10.8%.

Czech Pirate Party, after finishing at the second place at the 2018 Prague municipal election, held on 5 and 6 October 2018, with 17.1%, formed a coalition with Prague Together and United Forces for Prague (TOP 09, Mayors and Independents, KDU-ČSL, Liberal-Environmental Party and SNK European Democrats). The representative of the Czech Pirate Party, Zdeněk Hřib, was selected as a Mayor of Prague. It is probably for the first time, when any pirate party has a mayor in one of the major cities of the world.

At the 2019 European Parliament election, three Czech Pirate MEPs and one German Pirate MEP were voted in and joined the Greens–European Free Alliance, the aforementioned group in the European Parliament that has previously included Swedish Pirate MEPs and German Julia Reda.

Copyright and censorship

Some campaigns have included demands for the reform of copyright and patent laws.[33] In 2010, Swedish MEP Christian Engström called for supporters of amendments to the Data Retention Directive to withdraw their signatures, citing a misleading campaign.[34]

International organizations

Pirate Parties International

See main article: Pirate Parties International. Pirate Parties International (PPI) is the umbrella organization of the national Pirate Parties. Since 2006, the organization has existed as a loose union[35] of the national parties. Since October 2009, Pirate Parties International has had the status of a non-governmental organization (Feitelijke vereniging) based in Belgium. The organization was officially founded at a conference from 16 to 18 April 2010 in Brussels, when the organization's statutes were adopted by the 22 national pirate parties represented at the event.[36]

European Pirate Party

See main article: European Pirate Party. The European Pirate Party (PPEU) is a European political party founded in March 2014 which consists of various pirate parties within European countries.[37]

Parti Pirate Francophone

In Parti Pirate Francophone, the French-speaking Pirate Parties are organized. Current members are the pirates parties in Belgium, Côte d'Ivoire, France, Canada, and Switzerland.[38]

European Parliament elections

2009

StateDate%Seats
Sweden7.12
Germany0.90

2013

StateDate%Seats
Croatia1.10

2014

StateDate%Seats
United Kingdom10.50
Netherlands0.90
Austria22.10
Croatia0.40
Czech Republic4.80
Finland0.70
France0.30
Germany1.51
Greece30.90
Estonia41.80
Luxembourg4.20
Poland<0.10
Slovenia2.60
Spain0.20
Sweden2.20
1Party only participated in North West England constituency
2PPAT is in alliance with two other parties: The Austrian Communist Party and Der Wandel. The alliance is called "Europa Anders" and also includes some independents in their lists
3with Ecological Greens
4PPEE are campaigning for an independent candidate (Silver Meikar) who supports the pirate program

2019

StateDateVotes%Seats
Czech Republic330,8444.83
Finland12,5790.70
France30,1050.10
Germany243,3020.71
Italy60,8090.20
Luxembourg96,5797.70
Spain16,7550.10
Sweden26,5260.60

National elections

CountryDate%Seats
Sweden0.60/349
Germany2.00/622
Sweden0.70/349
United Kingdom0.40/650
Netherlands0.10
Finland0.50
Canada<0.10
Switzerland0.50
Spain0.10
Greece0.50
Greece0.20
Netherlands0.30
Israel0.10
Iceland5.13/63
Iceland14.510/63
Iceland9.26/63
Iceland8.66/63
Australia0.30
Australia<0.10
AustraliaTBA0
Australia (as Fusion Party)TBA0
Norway0.30
Germany2.20
Austria0.80
Luxembourg2.90
Slovenia1.30
Sweden0.40
Israel<0.10
Finland0.90
United Kingdom<0.10
Germany0.40
Czech Republic10.822/200
Iceland9.26/63
Slovenia2.20
Sweden0.10
Luxembourg6.52/60
Israel<0.10
Finland0.60
Belgium0.10
Czech Republic15.68 (in coalition with Mayors and Independents4

Elected representatives

Representatives of the Pirate Party movement that have been elected to a national or supranational legislature.

Pirate Party of Sweden

Czech Pirate Party

Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic

Since the 2021 Czech legislative election, only the following 4 MP are in office:

The following served as MPs from 2017 to 2021

Senate of the Czech Republic (in office)

European Parliament

Former representatives

Pirate Party Germany

Former representatives

Pirate Party Iceland

Former representatives (Iceland)

Pirate Party Luxembourg

National parties

See main article: List of Pirate Parties. Outside Sweden, pirate parties have been started in over 40 countries,[45] inspired by the Swedish initiative.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Fredriksson . Martin . Piracy & Social Change The Pirate Party and the Politics of Communication . . 9 . 909–924 . 2015 . 28 March 2023 . 4 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704111256/https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/3742 . live .
  2. Web site: About the PPI. 25 July 2015. 20 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160620173923/http://www.pp-international.net/about. live.
  3. Book: Gerbaudo, Paolo . The Digital Party: Political Organisation and Online Democracy . . 2019 . 9780745335797 . 27 March 2023 . 28 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230628203445/https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745335797/the-digital-party/ . live .
  4. The Emergence of a Freedom of Information Movement: Anonymous, WikiLeaks, the Pirate Party, and Iceland . . Beyer . Jessica L. . 2 . 19 . 141–154 . 10.1111/jcc4.12050 . free . 2014.
  5. Anti-elitist cyber parties? . Journal of Public Affairs . Hartleb . Florian . 4 . 13 . 355–369 . 10.1002/pa.1480 . 2013 . 27 March 2023 . 27 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230327133743/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pa.1480 . live .
  6. Piracy, Property and the Crisis of Democracy . eJournal of EDemocracy and Open Government . Fredriksson . Martin . 1 . 7 . 134–150 . Arvanitakis . James . 10.29379/jedem.v7i1.365 . free . 2015 . 28 March 2023 . 28 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230328234001/https://jedem.org/index.php/jedem/article/view/365 . live .
  7. Piracy & Social Change The Pirate Party and the Politics of Communication . . Fredriksson . Martin . 9 . 909–924 . 2015 . 28 March 2023 . 4 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704111256/https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/3742 . live .
  8. Encyclopedia: Cyberlibertarianism . Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication . Dahlberg . Lincoln . 2017 . 10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.70 . 978-0-19-022861-3 . 30 March 2023 . 19 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221219070521/https://oxfordre.com/communication/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-70 . live .
  9. Simon . Otjes . 22 January 2019 . All on the same boat? Voting for pirate parties in comparative perspective . https://web.archive.org/web/20230408020054/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0263395719833274 . 10.1177/0263395719833274 . 8 April 2023 . Political Studies Association . 40 . 1 . 38–53 . . This indicates that instead of not appealing along left-right lines at all, pirate party's left-right appeal is context-dependent. Moreover, it is more closely related to sympathy for these parties than to party choice'. (Page 49) . 1887/85286 . free .
  10. News: Anderson. Nate. Political pirates: A history of Sweden's Piratpartiet. 7 August 2015. Ars Technica. 26 February 2009. 17 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191217150322/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2009/02/rick-falkvinge-is-the-face/. live.
  11. Downie. James. What is the Pirate Party – and why is it helping Wikileaks?. 7 August 2015. New Republic. 24 January 2011. 19 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150919053656/http://www.newrepublic.com/article/world/81963/pirate-party-wikileaks. live.
  12. News: Igler. Nadja. Österreichs Piraten sehen grün. 7 August 2015. Future Zone. 19 September 2006. de. 17 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191217150403/http://www.fuzo-archiv.at/artikel/137321v2. live.
  13. News: European elections 2009: Sweden's Pirate Party wins a seat in parliament. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/5472520/European-elections-2009-Swedens-Pirate-Party-wins-a-seat-in-parliamentpps.html . 12 January 2022 . subscription . live. 7 August 2015. The Telegraph. 8 June 2009.
  14. News: Edwards. Chris. Sweden's Pirate party sails to success in European elections. 7 August 2015. The Guardian. 11 June 2009. 17 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191217150321/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2009/jun/11/pirate-party-sweden. live.
  15. News: Harris. Mark. Pirate Party UK sets sail. 8 August 2015. techradar. 11 August 2009. 3 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303171111/http://www.techradar.com/news/internet/pirate-party-uk-sets-sail-624848. live.
  16. News: Pirate Party launches UK poll bid. 8 August 2015. BBC News. 13 August 2009.
  17. News: Barnett. Emma. Pirate Party UK now registered by the Electoral Commission. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6011356/Pirate-Party-UK-now-registered-by-the-Electoral-Commission.html . 12 January 2022 . subscription . live. 8 August 2015. The Telegraph. 11 August 2009.
  18. News: Pirate Parties: From digital rights to political power. 8 August 2015. BBC News. 18 October 2011. 4 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230204114218/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15288907. live.
  19. News: Dowling. Siobhan. Pirate party snatches seats in Berlin state election. 7 August 2015. The Guardian. 18 September 2011. 17 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191217150350/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/18/pirate-party-germany-berlin-election. live.
  20. News: Kulish. Nicholas. Pirates' Strong Showing in Berlin Elections Surprises Even Them. 7 August 2015. The New York Times. 19 September 2011. 1 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170701050428/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/20/world/europe/in-berlin-pirates-win-8-9-percent-of-vote-in-regional-races.html?_r=1. live.
  21. News: Naughton. John. John Naughton. Could the Pirate party's German success be repeated in Britain?. 7 August 2015. The Guardian. 20 September 2011. 3 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221203062223/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/20/pirate-party-german-berlin-elections?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487. live.
  22. News: Iceland vote: Centre-right opposition wins election. 8 August 2015. BBC News. 28 April 2013. 8 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180308151218/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22320282. live.
  23. News: Penny. Laurie. Laurie Penny. Laurie Penny on Iceland's elections: A shattered fairy tale. 8 August 2015. New Statesman. 8 May 2013. 17 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191217150428/https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/05/icelands-elections-shattered-fairy-tale. live.
  24. Edick. Cole. 2015. The Golden Age of Piracy. Harvard International Review. 36. 4. 7–9. Ebscohost.
  25. News: Collentine. Josef Ohlsson. All Pirate Party votes in the EU election. 8 August 2015. Pirate Times. 26 May 2014. 29 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170629155222/http://piratetimes.net/all-pirate-party-votes-in-the-eu-election-800-000-votes/. live.
  26. News: Nordenfur. Anton. Julia Reda tops German list to European Parliament. 8 August 2015. Pirate Times. 6 January 2014. 14 June 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170614075910/http://piratetimes.net/julia-reda-tops-german-list-to-european-parliament/. live.
  27. Web site: Reda. Felix. Felix Reda. Election as Vice-President of the Greens/EFA Group. 11 June 2014 . Felix Reda. 8 August 2015. 24 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211024093900/https://juliareda.eu/2014/06/election-as-vice-president-of-the-greensefa-group/. live.
  28. News: Steadman. Ian. The Pirate Party's lone MEP might just fix copyright across the EU. 8 August 2015. New Statesman. 29 January 2015. 9 September 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190909144032/https://www.newstatesman.com/future-proof/2015/01/pirate-partys-lone-mep-might-just-fix-copyright-across-eu. live.
  29. News: Hudson. Alex. The Pirates becomes the most popular political party in Iceland. 7 August 2015. Mirror. 19 March 2015. 19 August 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230819070436/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/pirates-becomes-most-popular-political-5364061. live.
  30. News: The Pirate Party is now measured as the biggest political party in Iceland. 7 August 2015. . 19 March 2015. 4 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161204084602/http://www.visir.is/the-pirate-party-is-now-measured-as-the-biggest-political-party-in-iceland/article/2015150318848. live.
  31. News: Björnsson. Anna Margrét. Almost half of Icelandic nation now want the Pirate Party. 6 April 2016. Iceland Monitor. 6 April 2016. 1 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200101194247/https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/politics_and_society/2016/04/06/almost_half_of_icelandic_nation_now_want_the_pirate/. live.
  32. Web site: Executive seats split between CalSERVE, Student Action in 2017 ASUC elections. Andrea Platten Senior Staff. 14 April 2017. The Daily Californian. 12 May 2017. 7 June 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230607133216/https://www.dailycal.org/2017/04/14/executive-seats-split-calserve-student-action-2017-asuc-elections. live.
  33. News: Germany's 'Pirate Party' hopes for election surprise. https://web.archive.org/web/20090923223123/http://blogs.reuters.com/global/2009/09/20/germanys-pirate-party-hopes-for-election-surprise/. dead. 23 September 2009. Reuters blog. 20 September 2009. 5 March 2014. Copley, Caroline. Reuters.
  34. Web site: Urging MEPs to withdraw their Written Declaration 29 signatures. WordPress.com. Christian Engström blog. 2 June 2010. 5 March 2014. Engström, Christian. Christian Engström. 12 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140212002148/http://christianengstrom.wordpress.com/2010/06/02/urging-meps-to-withdraw-their-written-declaration-29-signatures/. live.
  35. Web site: Pirate Parties International . https://web.archive.org/web/20120521181015/http://int.piratenpartei.de/Pirate_Parties_International . 21 May 2012 . Wiki of Pirate Parties International . 21 January 2011 .
  36. News: 22 Pirate Parties from all over the world officially founded the Pirate Parties International. 21 April 2010. Pirate Parties International. 5 April 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120304230536/http://www.pp-international.net/node/471. 4 March 2012. dmy-all.
  37. Web site: Here comes the European Pirate Party. PirateTimes. 30 March 2020. 12 December 2013. 3 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190603034418/http://piratetimes.net/here-comes-the-european-pirate-party/. live.
  38. Web site: Pirate Party - Telecommunication Systems - 2729 - stkip-sera.download-soalujian.com. 2020-10-30. stkip-sera.download-soalujian.com.
  39. Web site: Bc. Frantisek Navrkal. public.psp.cz. 25 April 2020. 9 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210309225238/https://public.psp.cz/en/sqw/detail.sqw?id=6624. live.
  40. Web site: Mgr. Radek Holomcik. public.psp.cz. 25 April 2020. 25 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225001547/https://public.psp.cz/en/sqw/detail.sqw?id=6454. live.
  41. Web site: Bc. Frantisek Navrkal. public.psp.cz. 25 April 2020. 9 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210309225238/https://public.psp.cz/en/sqw/detail.sqw?id=6624. live.
  42. Web site: Tomas Vymazal. public.psp.cz. 25 April 2020. 27 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210227004952/https://public.psp.cz/en/sqw/detail.sqw?id=6489. live.
  43. Web site: Mgr. Radek Holomcik. public.psp.cz. 25 April 2020. 25 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210225001547/https://public.psp.cz/en/sqw/detail.sqw?id=6454. live.
  44. Web site: Pirát Peksa zvolený do europarlamentu se vzdal mandátu v české sněmovně. Nahradí ho analytik Navrkal. iROZHLAS. 6 June 2019. 12 June 2019. 8 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190608044122/https://www.irozhlas.cz/zpravy-domov/mikulas-peska-pirati-evropsky-parlament-snemovna-radka-maxova-veronika_1906061346_nkr. live.
  45. Web site: Piratenpartij presenteert verkiezingsprogramma. 9 April 2011. 20 May 2010. 3VOOR12 NL. nl. 28 September 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110928145928/http://3voor12.vpro.nl/artikelen/artikel/43501086. dead.

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