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Politics

Pirate Party Sweden's third-largest: poll

Published: 22 May 09 10:12 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/19590/20090522/

Sweden’s Pirate Party has climbed into third place among parties running for the European Parliament elections, according to a new opinion poll released Thursday.

The Pirate Party now has the support of 7.9 percent of Swedish voters, up from 3.4 percent from a week earlier, according to the Demoskop poll conducted between May 13 and Wednesday.

That is still well behind Sweden's opposition Social Democrats with 35.9 percent and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's conservative Moderate Party with 24.1 percent.

But it could be enough for it to clinch at least one seat in the European Parliament, on the heels of the April 17 conviction in Sweden of the three founders of the unrelated file-sharing website The Pirate Bay.

"Of course it is fantastic, but nothing is clear until the votes are counted," Pirate Party leader Rick Falkvinge told Sweden's domestic TT news agency.

"It is still up to all those who care about basic civil rights and these fundamental values to go out and vote."

Founded in 2006, the Pirate Party "wants to fundamentally reform copyright law, get rid of the patent system and ensure that citizens' rights to privacy are respected," it says on its website.

It took 0.6 percent of the vote in Sweden's last general election in 2006.

Demoskop spoke to more than 1,000 adults in Sweden for its poll, with about one in three respondents saying they were certain to cast their ballots on June 7 for the only directly-elected EU institution.

AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

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12:07 May 22, 2009 by SaltWater
Sweden stills to be one of the most mature democracies in the world, and this proves it!
13:30 May 22, 2009 by Nemesis
I can't wait to see delegates from the Pirate party in the European Parliament.

This has potential to really upset a lot of people with vested interests.

I say vote for the pirate party.
15:05 May 22, 2009 by eZee.se
This is going a little too easy for PP,

I wonder when the people who have money to burn are going to throw a few hurdles in their way because their feathers are getting ruffled.

Anyway, PP has my vote... and am making sure the rest of my families vote.

Talk to your friends, a lot of them are not even going to vote because its "not worth it", offer to take them to dinner if they vote for PP ;)

it sometimes works, trust me!

/Ryan
19:41 May 22, 2009 by badhytten
Vote PP!

Only then can the other parties be forced to follow!

Next Swedish election is to valuable to be lost for the other parties!

A vote for PP now will do!
01:57 May 23, 2009 by dtes
yeah im down with em too! VOTE PIRATE PARTY people, anything else is just an insult to your intelligence!
03:05 May 23, 2009 by nic_tester
People tend to underestimate the difficulty of the craft of politics. Thus, to much success too early and you crash and burn. Example: new democracy.

That said, I was set to vote for the pirateparty after the travesty of the pb trial. I intensely dislike the cocnept of a political trial in my country. However, it seems like the swedish justice system is, at long last, getting its act together, so I now feel free to cast a more constructive and "true" vote.
04:11 May 23, 2009 by eZee.se
> However, it seems like the swedish justice system is, at long last, getting its act together,...

Ohh really?!!!

wired.com/threatlevel/2009/05/judge-reviewing-pirate-bay-trial-bias-is-removed-for-bias/
06:08 May 23, 2009 by freethinker
I never though an organization such as PP would ever get anywhere. COngrats Swedes you're bucking the status quo, and are a beacon to the world of what democracy should be. I find it halarious that after a fashion the entertainment industry is proving to be the PP's most ardent supporters. Thier greed and manipulation of the Swedeish justice system is launching PP to stardom. Grats PP. I raise a glass of bear in your honor.
09:32 May 23, 2009 by Jamtjim
Wow Freethinker. I know that you Americans are supposed to be hard and macho but a glass of bear! How do you stop all the fur and bits of bone from stickng in your teeth? How big is the f#&king glass not to mention the blender you must need? Watch out Yogi... freethinkers coming for you ;-)
12:51 May 23, 2009 by kaze
If I could be bothered to vote (its a hastle) I'd vote for them.
12:55 May 23, 2009 by Miss Kitten
I dunno. My boyfriend walked down our local ICA (about a three minute walk) and cast his vote there. No hassle at all.
17:04 May 23, 2009 by kaze
He's registered and presumably Swedish though?

I definatly remember reading I'd have to go to the embassy in Stockholm.
17:21 May 23, 2009 by Puffin
You only have to go to the embassy to vote in your own's country's national election.

If you are an EU national you can vote in the European elections as long as you are registered in Sweden - have they not sent you a polling card? Mine came a few weeks ago and the polling station is the local church hall.

You can also vote early at a number of locations
17:23 May 23, 2009 by Puffin
Swedes have a history of using the EU elections to vote for protest parties - last time it was the anti EU Junilistan
17:38 May 23, 2009 by The Lix-a
i thre away my card i got in the mail, bugger! didnt think, i forgot about piratebay. Trying to tell my girlfriend to vote atleast but she says she cant be bothered.
18:23 May 23, 2009 by freethinker
Jamtjim, I meant beer...lol how are you? I'm about to go see the new terminator movie.
18:16 May 24, 2009 by Ed Tracey
Arrrgh, mates, raise a glass of grog in honor of the Pirate Party.
18:30 May 24, 2009 by freethinker
har...har... raise t'brew fer Pirat party!
18:49 May 24, 2009 by Miss Kitten
Drink up, me hearties, Yo Ho!

(But why is the rum gone???)
19:19 May 24, 2009 by freethinker
hic...casts a bleary gaze towards Miss Kitty. Ah Lass, I've been protecting t' rum from those unsavory sorts who would seek to greedily consume it, thus Lass I've taken it upon meself t' put t'rum into the safy of me tummy. Opps seems I have rum in M tankerd...ere ye go...spills some as e staggers to deliver the tankerd, offering newly the filled tankerd of run to Miss kitty.
20:18 May 24, 2009 by kaze
No I never got a card.

I don't think I'm registered.

Meh, no big deal.
18:43 May 26, 2009 by tigger007
NOW! that's what i like!!!

swedes showing some BALLS! GOOO PP! u have my vote!
23:04 May 26, 2009 by Mamoshka
i like them i think i might vote to them or vänster i dunno
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