-----------------------------------

hbgator

Mon 08 Jun, 2009


Sweden's Pirate Party, striking a chord with voters

-----------------------------------

STOCKHOLM <b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>(Reuters)<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> <b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>-<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> Sweden's Pirate Party,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> striking a chord with voters who want more free content on the Internet,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> won a seat in the European Parliament,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> early results showed on Sunday.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
The Pirate Party captured 7.1 percent of votes in Sweden in the Europe-wide ballot,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> enough to give it a single seat.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> The party wants to deregulate copyright,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> abolish the patent system and reduce surveillance on the Internet.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"This is fantastic!<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> Christian Engstrom,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> the party's top candidate,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> told Reuters.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> <b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"This shows that there are a lot of people who think that personal integrity is important and that it matters that we deal with the Internet and the new information society in the right way.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
Previously an obscure group of single-issue activists,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> the party enjoyed a jump in popularity after the conviction in April of four men behind The Pirate Bay,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> one of the world's biggest free file-sharing website.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
The case cast a spotlight on the issue of internet file-sharing,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> a technique used to download movies,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> music and other content.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> The defendants have called for a retrial.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
Despite the similar names,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> the party and the website are not linked.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> The party was founded in 2006 and contested a Swedish general election that year,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> but received less than one percent of the vote.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
Engstrom credited the party's appeal to young voters for its success.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> <b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"We are very strong among those under 30.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> They are the ones who understand the new world the best.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> And they have now signalled they don't like how the big parties deal with these issues.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>
The Pirate Party will take up one of Sweden's 18 seats in the 785-seat parliament.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> <b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"We will use all of our strength to defend personal integrity and our civil rights,<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>"<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b> Engstrom said.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>


-----------------------------------

Mop

Wed 10 Jun, 2009


Re: Sweden's Pirate Party, striking a chord with voters

-----------------------------------

Silly Swedes.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>.<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>;<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>-<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>)<b style="color:#FFA34F"></b>


-----------------------------------

shaun2k

Sun 21 Jun, 2009


Re: Sweden's Pirate Party, striking a chord with voters

-----------------------------------

yep silly swedes