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Pirate Party | |
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| Ideology | Pirate politics
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Pirate Party is a label adopted by variouspolitical parties worldwide that share a set of values and policies focused oncivil rights in the digital age.[1][2][3][4] The fundamental principles of Pirate Parties includefreedom of information,freedom of the press,freedom of expression,digital rights andinternet freedom. The first Pirate Party, initially named "Piratpartiet", was founded in Sweden in 2006 byRick Falkvinge, and the movement has since expanded to over 60 countries.
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Central to their vision is the defense offree access to and sharing of knowledge, and opposition to intellectual monopolies. This position fits theoretically into the "knowledge commons" framework, developed fromElinor Ostrom's studies on the governance of thecommons and later applied to the digital domain by scholars such asYochai Benkler andLawrence Lessig. They therefore advocate forcopyright andpatent laws reform, aiming to make them more flexible and fairer, fosterinnovation and balance creators' rights with public access to knowledge. Specifically, they support shorter copyright terms and promoteopen access toscientific literature andeducational resources. This theoretical position is rooted in the conception of information as a non-rivalrous good, whose consumption by one individual does not prevent simultaneous consumption by others.
Pirate parties are strong proponents offree 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 support for equal access to the internet and oppose any attempt to restrict or prioritize internet traffic. They promote universalinternet access,digital inclusion, andSTEM andcybersecurity education to addressdigital divide. Equally crucial in their programs are public and private investments inR&D, techstartups,digital infrastructure,Internet infrastructure,smart city technologies to optimizeurban infrastructures, and robustcybersecurity measures to protect these systems fromcyberattacks. Some Pirate parties also supportuniversal basic income as a response to the economic challenges posed by advancedautomation.
Pirate Parties advocate for a more equitable and inclusiveplatform economy based oncommons-based peer production andcollaborative consumption principles, as well as protection for competitive practices - in opposition with monopolies either state or private. These parties conceptualize technological innovations as elements of the globaldigital commons that should be freely accessible to all people worldwide. Unlike many conventional political positions, Pirate Parties oppose concepts ofcyber sovereignty and digitalprotectionism, 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 openpublic 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 thedemocratization of information technologies.
A significant concern for Pirate Parties is the growing threat ofdisinformation,infodemic andmanipulation in cyberspace. They advocate formedia literacy andinformation literacy programs and transparentcontent moderation policies that combat false information while preserving freedom of expression. Recognizing how algorithmicecho chambers contribute tosocial polarization, they support technologies and policies that expose users to diverse viewpoints and promotecritical thinking skills, viewing these as essential safeguards for democratic discourse in the digital age.
In terms of governance, Pirate Parties support the implementation ofopene-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 ascollaborative 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 ofAI-assisted governance, secure and transparentelectronic voting systems,data-driven decision-making processes,evidence-based policies,technology assessments, andanti-corruption measures to strengthen democratic processes and prevent manipulation and fraud.
Furthermore, these parties strongly defend open-source, decentralized and privacy-enhancing technologies such asblockchain,cryptocurrencies as an alternative to state currency (fiat money),peer-to-peer networks,instant messaging withend-to-end encryption,virtual private networks, private and anonymous browsers, etc., considering them essential tools to protectpersonal data, individualprivacy andinformation security (both online and offline), againstmass surveillance,data collection without consent, contentcensorship 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 inBig Tech.[5][6][7][8][9][10] Ultimately, protectingindividual 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 withcyber-libertarian values and principles.[11]
The reference to historicalpiracy was strategically constructed by Pirate Parties through a process of cultural and politicalresignification. Initially, the termpirate 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. For example, the adoption of the pirate flag (Jolly Roger) was reinterpreted as a symbol of freedom of information and resistance to knowledge monopolies. This contemporary use of the symbol is part of a long tradition of meanings associated with the flag, which goes beyond sea piracy to embrace a message of defiance and freedom.However, the historical reality of piracy was considerably more complex and problematic than the narrative presented by Pirate Parties. Although thepirate republics of the17th-18th centuries, such asNassau challenged the colonial powers and did indeed develop codes that provided for rudimentary forms of direct democracy, self-government, compensation for the wounded, limitation of the captain's powers, election of captains, and distribution of spoils, these systems operated within contexts of systematic violence, slavery, and exploitation. Pirates frequently engaged in thetransatlantic slave trade, and their "democracies" systematically excluded the victims of their depredations. Consequently, they could not be considered models of democracy in the modern sense of the term.Pirate parties also established parallels withpirate radio of the 1960s-70s (such asRadio Caroline in the North Sea), which challenged state radio monopolies by broadcasting pop music from international waters. These historical precedents were particularly effective because they allowed Pirate Parties to present themselves not simply as supporters ofonline piracy, but as heirs to a long tradition of resistance to information monopolies, connecting their struggle for digital freedom to a romanticized historical tradition of challenging authority, without the violent and predatory aspects of maritime piracy.
Rather than completely rejecting the traditional political spectrumleft–right, Pirate Parties operate on a distinct political axis that political scientists might callauthoritarian-anarchist orcentralized-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] while most political pirates support antitrust, enhancement and protection of free market competition against anti-competitive measures, be them state or private.[13]
The first Pirate Party to be established was thePirate Party of Sweden (Swedish:Piratpartiet), whose website was launched on 1 January 2006 byRick Falkvinge. Falkvinge was inspired to found the party after he found that Swedish politicians were generally unresponsive to Sweden's debate over changes tocopyright law in 2005.[14]
TheUnited States Pirate Party was founded on 6 June 2006 byUniversity of Georgia graduate student Brent Allison. The party's concerns were abolishing theDigital 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 ofpatents 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.[15]
ThePirate Party of Austria (German:Piratenpartei Österreichs) was founded in July 2006 in the run-up to the2006 Austrian legislative election byFlorian Hufsky and Jürgen "Juxi" Leitner.[16]
ThePirate Party of Finland was founded in 2008 and entered the official registry of Finnish political parties in 2009.
ThePirate Party of the Czech Republic (Czech:Česká pirátská strana) was founded on 19 April 2009 by Jiří Kadeřávek.
The2009 European Parliament election took place between the 4 and 7 June 2009, and various Pirate Parties stood candidates. The most success was had inSweden, where the Pirate Party of Sweden won 7.1% of the vote, and hadChristian Engström elected as the first ever Pirate PartyMember of European Parliament (MEP).[17][18] Following the introduction of theTreaty of Lisbon, the Pirate Party of Sweden were afforded another MEP in 2011, that beingAmelia Andersdotter.
On 30 July 2009, thePirate Party UK was registered with theElectoral Commission. Its firstparty leader was Andrew Robinson, and itstreasurer was Eric Priezkalns.[19][20][21]
In April 2010, an international organisation to encourage cooperation and unity between Pirate Parties,Pirate Parties International, was founded in Belgium.[22]
In the2011 Berlin state election to theAbgeordnetenhaus of Berlin, thePirate Party of Berlin (a state chapter ofPirate Party Germany) won 8.9% of the vote, which corresponded to winning 15 seats.[23][24]John Naughton, writing forThe Guardian, argued that the Pirate Party of Berlin's success could not be replicated by thePirate Party UK, as the UK does not use aproportional representation electoral system.[25]
In the2013 Icelandic parliamentary election, the IcelandicPirate Party won 5.1% of the vote, returning three Pirate PartyMembers of Parliament. Those wereBirgitta Jónsdóttir for theSouthwest Constituency,Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson forReykjavik Constituency North andJón Þór Ólafsson forReykjavik Constituency South.[26][27] Birgitta had previously been an MP for theCitizens' 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.[28]
The2014 European Parliament election took place between 22 and 24 May.Felix Reda was at the top of the list forPirate Party Germany, and was subsequently elected as the party received 1.5% of the vote. Other notable results include theCzech Pirate Party, who received 4.8% of the vote, meaning they were only 0.2% shy of getting elected, thePirate Party of Luxembourg, who received 4.2% of the vote, and thePirate Party of Sweden, who received 2.2% of the vote, but lost both their MEPs.[29]
Reda had previously worked as an assistant in the office of former Pirate Party MEP Amelia Andersdotter.[30] On 11 June 2014, Reda was elected vice-president of theGreens/EFA group in the European Parliament.[31] Reda was given the job of copyright reform rapporteur.[32]
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 theAlthing.[33][34] In April 2016, in the wake of thePanama Papers scandal, polls showed the Icelandic Pirate Party at 43% and the Independence Party at 21.6%,[35] although the Pirate Party eventually won 15% of the vote and 10 seats in the29 October 2016 parliamentary election.
In April 2017, a group of students atUniversity of California, Berkeley formed a Pirate Party to participate in theAssociated Students of the University of California senate elections, winning the only third-party seat.[36]
TheCzech Pirate Party entered theChamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament for the first time after theelection held on 20 and 21 October 2017, with 10.8% of the vote.
TheCzech Pirate Party, after finishing in second place with 17.1% of the vote in the2018 Prague municipal election held on 5 and 6 October 2018, formed a coalition withPrague Together andUnited Forces for Prague (TOP 09,Mayors and Independents,KDU-ČSL,Liberal-Environmental Party andSNK European Democrats). The representative of theCzech Pirate Party,Zdeněk Hřib, was selected to beMayor of Prague. This was probably the first time a pirate party member became the mayor of a major world city.
At the2019 European Parliament election, three Czech Pirate MEPs and one German Pirate MEP were voted in and joined theGreens–European Free Alliance, the aforementioned group in the European Parliament that had previously included Swedish Pirate MEPs and German Julia Reda.
Some campaigns have included demands for the reform ofcopyright andpatent laws.[37] In 2010, Swedish MEPChristian Engström called for supporters of amendments to theData Retention Directive to withdraw their signatures, citing a misleading campaign.[38]
Pirate Parties International (PPI) is the umbrella organization of the national Pirate Parties. Since 2006, the organization has existed as a loose union[39] of the national parties. Since October 2009, Pirate Parties International has had the status of anon-governmental organization (Feitelijke vereniging) based inBelgium. The organization was officially founded at a conference from 16 to 18 April 2010 inBrussels, when the organization's statutes were adopted by the 22 national pirate parties represented at the event.[40]
TheEuropean Pirate Party (PPEU) is a European political alliance founded in March 2014 which consists of various pirate parties within European countries.[41] It is not currently registered as aEuropean political party.[42]
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.[43]
| State | Date | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 7 June 2009 | 7.1 | 2 |
| Germany | 7 June 2009 | 0.9 | 0 |
| State | Date | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Croatia* | 14 April 2013 | 1.1 | 0 |
*Held in 2013 due to Croatia's entry into EU
| State | Date | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom1 | 22 May 2014 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 22 May 2014 | 0.9 | 0 |
| Austria2 | 25 May 2014 | 2.1 | 0 |
| Croatia | 25 May 2014 | 0.4 | 0 |
| Czech Republic | 25 May 2014 | 4.8 | 0 |
| Finland | 25 May 2014 | 0.7 | 0 |
| France | 25 May 2014 | 0.3 | 0 |
| Germany | 25 May 2014 | 1.5 | 1 |
| Greece3 | 25 May 2014 | 0.9 | 0 |
| Estonia4 | 25 May 2014 | 1.8 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | 25 May 2014 | 4.2 | 0 |
| Poland | 25 May 2014 | <0.1 | 0 |
| Slovenia | 25 May 2014 | 2.6 | 0 |
| Spain | 25 May 2014 | 0.2 | 0 |
| Sweden | 25 May 2014 | 2.2 | 0 |
1Party only participated inNorth 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
| State | Date | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 24 May 2019 | 330,844 | 14.0 | 3 |
| Finland | 26 May 2019 | 12,579 | 0.7 | 0 |
| France | 26 May 2019 | 30,105 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Germany | 26 May 2019 | 243,302 | 0.7 | 1 |
| Italy | 26 May 2019 | 60,809 | 0.2 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | 26 May 2019 | 96,579 | 7.7 | 0 |
| Spain | 26 May 2019 | 16,755 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Sweden | 26 May 2019 | 26,526 | 0.6 | 0 |
| State | Date | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Republic | 7-8 June 2024 | 184,091 | 6.20 | 1 |
| France | 9 June 2024 | 28,745 | 0.12 | 0 |
| Germany | 9 June 2024 | 186,773 | 0.47 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | 9 June 2024 | 68,085 | 4.92 | 0 |
| Spain | 9 June 2024 | 14,484 | 0.08 | 0 |
| Sweden | 9 June 2024 | 15,403 | 0.37 | 0 |
| This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this section to reflect recent events or newly available information.(February 2024) |
| Country | Date | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 17 September 2006 | 0.6 | 0/349 |
| Germany | 27 September 2009 | 2.0 | 0/622 |
| Sweden | 19 September 2010 | 0.7 | 0/349 |
| United Kingdom | 6 May 2010 | 0.4 | 0/650 |
| Netherlands | 9 June 2010 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Finland | 17 April 2011 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Canada | 2 May 2011 | <0.1 | 0 |
| Switzerland | 23 October 2011 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Spain | 20 November 2011 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Greece | 6 May 2012 | 0.5 | 0 |
| Greece | 17 June 2012 | 0.2 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 15 March 2017 | 0.3 | 0 |
| Israel | 22 January 2013 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Iceland | 27 April 2013 | 5.1 | 3/63 |
| Iceland | 29 October 2016 | 14.5 | 10/63 |
| Iceland | 15 September 2017 | 9.2 | 6/63 |
| Iceland | 25 September 2021 | 8.6 | 6/63 |
| Iceland | 2 December 2024 | 3.02 | 0/63 |
| Australia | 7 September 2013 | 0.3 | 0 |
| Australia | 2 July 2016 | <0.1 | 0 |
| Australia | 18 May 2019 | TBA | 0 |
| Australia (asFusion Party) | 21 May 2022 | TBA | 0 |
| Norway | 9 September 2013 | 0.3 | 0 |
| Germany | 22 September 2013 | 2.2 | 0 |
| Austria | 29 September 2013 | 0.8 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | 20 October 2013 | 2.9 | 0 |
| Slovenia | 13 July 2014 | 1.3 | 0 |
| Sweden | 14 September 2014 | 0.4 | 0 |
| Israel | 17 March 2015 | <0.1 | 0 |
| Finland | 19 April 2015 | 0.9 | 0 |
| United Kingdom | 6 May 2015 | <0.1 | 0 |
| Germany | 24 September 2017 | 0.4 | 0 |
| Czech Republic | 21 October 2017 | 10.8 | 22/200 |
| Iceland | 28 October 2017 | 9.2 | 6/63 |
| Slovenia | 3 June 2018 | 2.2 | 0 |
| Sweden | 9 September 2018 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Luxembourg | 14 October 2018 | 6.5 | 2/60 |
| Israel | 9 April 2019 | <0.1 | 0 |
| Finland | 14 April 2019 | 0.6 | 0 |
| Belgium | 26 May 2019 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Czech Republic | 9 October 2025 | 9 | 18/200 |
Representatives of the Pirate Party movement that have been elected to a national orsupranationallegislature.
Since the2021 Czech legislative election, the following 4 MPs are in office:
The following served as MPs during the 2017–2021 term:
Since the2024 Czech senate election, the party had 1 senator, but she left the Pirates in 2025. She is still a supporter of the Pirates.[50]
The following are former senators:
Since the2024 EU elections, the party has 1 MEP:
The following are former MEPs:
Since the2024 EU elections, the party does not have any national elected representatives. The former MEPs are as follows:
Since the2024 parliamentary election, the party does not have any national elected representatives. The former MPs are as follows:
Outside Sweden, pirate parties have been started in over 40 countries,[52] inspired by the Swedish initiative.
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)
The Pirates aim to protect individuals, preserve opportunities, and promote individual autonomy and well-being by dispersing and de-concentrating public and private power. Competitive markets provide a fertile ground for entrepreneurship. Competition policy should aim to prevent excessive market concentration and monopolistic practices that hinder new businesses' market entry.
Cryptocurrency. We, as the Pirates, see the potential of crypto assets and that they may have a positive role in economic development. We want to protect cash for its anonymity, including digital cash.
