Pirate party was around for the 2006 elections
They were the third largest party not to make it into the Riksdag, with 34 918 votes (number taken from http://www.val.se/val/val2006/slutlig/R/rike/ovriga.html)
The Swedish Pirate Party hopes to secure a seat in the forthcoming European Parliament elections this summer even before the activist group has earned its stripes at a national level. The party was formed in Sweden in 2006 following the introduction of a controversial new law that forbade the downloading of copyrighted …
The reason for having copyright law was originally so that the public would
benefit from works which otherwise would never be produced. But it's gone way beyond that:
a. in terms of how long it lasts and
b. the extent to which it is considered by minority vested interests to trump rights to privacy of communications of everyone else.
It's now a question of how much the politicians will suck up to media bosses who tell crusty voters who to vote for, and how much politicians think they look cool pictured next to aging rock stars who haven't produced a good song in years who are worried about having to sell the odd yacht and country house to pay for their retirement.
Those for whom not being spied upon for sharing stuff is a more important issue than whether or not a few old rockers will have to go on tour again in order to maintain their drug habits know when they are being screwed over.
Either copyright terms will be greatly shortened, and the extent of enforcement reduced so it no longer interferes with private non-commercial communications, or it will be held in growing and deserved contempt by a growing and increasingly organised sector of the electorate.
... for and of Gods and Goddesses. :-)
"yes there is a pirate party .... but how long till we follow the lead of the ozies and get out own sex party?" ..... By michael Posted Saturday 14th March 2009 10:25 GMT
michael,
It may come as a complete shock to you, but the Swedes have been light years ahead of everyone else in the Private Pirate Sex Party Game for ...... oh at least nearly half a century. Can you imagine how far out ahead of everyone else that puts them and what they have learnt from all that they know?
And there are very Few, if Any, who do what they do, Better, for even to Match their Excellence, is a Pinnacle Achievement in Itself ...... although Fortunately though, there are always a Good Few who will Always Try to do IT Better such is the Excellence of Reward in Aspiring to ITs Achievement.