Pirate Party - Wikiwand

Pirate Party is a label adopted by various political parties worldwide that share a set of values and policies focused on civil rights in the digital age.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] The fundamental principles of Pirate Parties include freedom of information, freedom of the press, freedom of expression, digital rights and internet freedom. The first Pirate Party was founded in Sweden in 2006 by Rick Falkvinge initially named "Piratpartiet", and the movement has since expanded to over 60 countries.

This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Map of elected pirates is heavily outdated. (October 2021)

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Pirate Party

Ideology	Pirate politics Civil libertarianism Anti-corruption and E-democracy Direct and participatory democracy Copyright and patent reform Software and Internet freedom Anti-techno-authoritarianism (whether state-based or corporate)

Ideology

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Central to their vision is the defense of free access to and sharing of knowledge, and opposition to intellectual monopolies. They therefore advocate for copyright and patent laws reform, aiming to make them more flexible and fairer, foster innovation and balance creator' rights with public access to knowledge. Specifically, they support shorter copyright terms and promote open access to scientific literature and educational resources.

Pirate parties are strong proponents of free and open-source software development. They recognize its inherent benefits: it provides freedom of use, modification and distribution, transparency to avoid unfair practices, global collaboration, innovation and cost reduction, and enhanced security through code verifiability. Net neutrality represents another key pillar: they advocate for equal access to the internet and oppose any attempts to restrict or prioritize internet traffic. They promote universal internet access, digital inclusion, and STEM and cybersecurity education to address digital divide. Equally crucial in their programs are public and private investments in R&D, tech startups, digital infrastructure, Internet infrastructure, smart city technologies to optimize urban infrastructures, and robust cybersecurity measures to protect these systems from cyberattacks. Some Pirate parties also support universal basic income as a response to the economic challenges posed by advanced automation.

Pirate Parties advocate for a more equitable and inclusive platform economy based on commons-based peer production and collaborative consumption principles. These parties conceptualize technological innovations as elements of the global digital commons that should be freely accessible to all people worldwide. Unlike many conventional political positions, Pirate Parties oppose concepts of cyber sovereignty and digital protectionism, instead promoting unrestricted information flow across international borders and the systematic reduction of digital barriers between nations. Simultaneously, they work to diminish the concentrated influence of both corporate entities and state authorities that function as digital monopolies. The core Pirate Party position maintains that the internet must be preserved as an open public space devoid of unnecessary restrictions, where individuals can freely access, create, distribute, and share content without experiencing coercion or intimidation. This position reflects their fundamental commitment to digital freedom and the democratization of information technologies.

A significant concern for Pirate Parties is the growing threat of disinformation, infodemic and manipulation in cyberspace. They advocate for media literacy and information literacy programs and transparent content moderation policies that combat false information while preserving freedom of expression. Recognizing how algorithmic echo chambers contribute to social polarization, they support technologies and policies that expose users to diverse viewpoints and promote critical thinking skills, viewing these as essential safeguards for democratic discourse in the digital age.

In terms of governance, Pirate Parties support the implementation of open e-government to enhance transparency, reduce costs, and increase the efficiency of decision-making processes. They propose a hybrid democratic model that integrates direct digital democracy (e-democracy) mechanisms with representative democratic institutions. This decentralized and participatory governance, known as collaborative e-democracy, aims to distribute participation and decision-making among citizens through digital tools, allowing them to directly influence public policies (e-participation). It also incorporates forms of AI-assisted governance, secure and transparent electronic voting systems, data-driven decision-making processes, evidence-based policies, technology assessments, and anti-corruption measures to strengthen democratic processes and prevent manipulation and fraud.

Furthermore, these parties strongly defend open-source, decentralized and privacy-enhancing technologies such as blockchain, cryptocurrencies as an alternative to state currency (fiat money), peer-to-peer networks, instant messaging with end-to-end encryption, virtual private networks, private and anonymous browsers ecc. considering them essential tools to protect personal data, individual privacy and information security, both online and offline, against mass surveillance, data collection without consent, content censorship without due process, forced decryption, internet throttling or blocking, backdoor requirements in encryption, discriminatory algorithmic practices, unauthorized access to personal data, and the concentration of power in Big Tech.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] Ultimately, protecting individual freedom is at the core of their political agenda, seen as a bulwark against the growing power of corporations and governments in controlling information and digital autonomy. This aligns perfectly with cyber-libertarian values and principles.^[11]

The reference to historical piracy was strategically constructed by Pirate Parties through a process of cultural and political resignification. Initially, the term pirate was adopted provocatively and ironically in response to accusations from the entertainment industry against digital file sharing. Subsequently, this identity was more deeply elaborated to create a coherent political narrative. The members transformed what was initially a pejorative label into a symbol of cultural resistance, recalling the tradition of "pirates" as rebels against established powers. They established parallels with pirate radio of the 1960s-70s (such as Radio Caroline in the North Sea), which challenged state radio monopolies by broadcasting pop music from international waters. They recovered historical elements of the pirate republics of the 17th-18th centuries, such as Nassau, emphasizing aspects of democratic self-government, practices of equitable distribution of plunder, and challenges to colonial powers. They highlighted how some pirate crews adopted codes that provided for forms of direct democracy, compensation for the wounded, and limitation of the captain's powers. The adoption of the pirate flag (Jolly Roger) was reinterpreted as a symbol of freedom of information and resistance to knowledge monopolies. This narrative was particularly effective because it allowed Pirate Parties to present themselves not simply as supporters of online piracy, but as heirs to a long tradition of resistance to forms of monopolistic power, connecting the struggle for digital freedom to a romanticized historical tradition of challenging authority.

Rather than completely rejecting the traditional political spectrum left–right, Pirate Parties operate on a distinct political axis that political scientists might call authoritarian-anarchist or centralized-distributed in the digital and technological spheres. Therefore, they tend to combine libertarian and anarchist elements on digital issues with progressive (from the American point of view) positions on social issues.^[12]

History

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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.^[13]

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.^[14]

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.^[15]

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 (Czech: 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).^[16]^[17] 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.^[18]^[19]^[20]

In April 2010, an international organisation to encourage cooperation and unity between Pirate Parties, Pirate Parties International, was founded in Belgium.^[21]

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.^[22]^[23] 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.^[24]

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.^[25]^[26] Birgitta had previously been an MP for the Citizens' Movement (from 2009 to 2013), representing Reykjavik Constituency South. As of 2015^[update], it was the largest political party in Iceland, with 23.9% of the vote.^[27]

The 2014 European Parliament election took place between 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 only 0.2% shy of 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.^[28]

Reda had previously worked as an assistant in the office of former Pirate Party MEP Amelia Andersdotter.^[29] On 11 June 2014, Reda was elected vice-president of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament.^[30] Reda was given the job of copyright reform rapporteur.^[31]

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.^[32]^[33] 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%,^[34] 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.^[35]

The 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% of the vote.

The Czech Pirate Party, after finishing in second place with 17.1% of the vote in the 2018 Prague municipal election held on 5 and 6 October 2018, 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 to be Mayor of Prague. This was probably the first time a pirate party member became the mayor of a major world city.

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 had 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.^[36] In 2010, Swedish MEP Christian Engström called for supporters of amendments to the Data Retention Directive to withdraw their signatures, citing a misleading campaign.^[37]

International organizations

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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^[38] 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.^[39]

European Pirate Party

The European Pirate Party (PPEU) is a European political alliance founded in March 2014 which consists of various pirate parties within European countries.^[40] It is not currently registered as a European political party.^[41]

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.^[42]