Germans vote pirates into parliament

Elmidena

http://dvice.com/archives/2011/09/germans-vote-15.php

In honor of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, the German people have seen fit to vote 15 members of the German Pirate Party into Berlin's parliament. Winning almost 10% of the popular vote, German pirates will now start delivering freedom, justice, gold doubloons, privacy, saucy wenches, copyright reform and shoulder parrots to all. Yarrr!

The Pirate Party may sound like a joke, but it's most definitely not. In fact, you might agree with a lot of what they have to say. They're for personal privacy protection (including genetic privacy and data privacy), copyright and patent reform, expanding citizen's rights and free speech, unprecedented levels of government transparency, and free wireless Internet. All of these issues are becoming more and more relevant as information technology permeates our lives, and in this writer's opinion, it's high time that someone in government made them a priority. And apparently, a significant number of people in Berlin agree.

Yesterday, the German Pirate Party achieved 8.9% of the popular vote in the Berlin state parliamentary elections, securing 15 voting seats out of a total of 130. Clearly, this isn't just a fluke: people want Pirates in parliament looking out for their digital interests. What's even more remarkable is that the Pirate campaign has so far been run entirely by volunteers, and now that they've won parliamentary seats, the Pirate Party will start getting funding to expand its operations and spread its message. Rest of the world: prepare to be boarded.

It might sound like a joke, but I'm pretty impressed with their goals etc. I think they'll do well by securing better data protection for the country and hope it catches on elsewhere. And adjourning party meetings for rum o' clock would be awesome too!

It also makes a nice change to the bandits running this country :pac:

Dravokivich

What's even more remarkable is that the Pirate campaign has so far been run entirely by volunteers

I was under the assumption that this is how a political party generally worked...

4leto

The piracy party and our divine right to steal media content, another example as to why democracy just doesn't work.

I seen a piece on Newsnight, in Europe and America severe austerity is needed to get all our economies and the Euro currency in order, yet with the weaknesses of democracy none of the leaders are willing to implement these policies. So another nail in the coffin of western social democracy.

Uriel.

Arrrrgh Me hearties... NO? Ok!!!

Seachmall

4leto wrote: »

The piracy party and our divine right to steal media content, another example as to why democracy just doesn't work.

They don't encourage illegal downloading, they just want to prevent ISPs (and many other industries) supplying 3rd parties (whoever they may be) with the details of customers without a court injunction. That's one of many policies they hold and is one any reasonable person should want.

The Piracy Parties across Europe (and the US/Canada presumably) typically hold firm stances on personal privacy, nothing more.

Mickey H

This is gas lads! Arrrrrgh...