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Pirate Party Elected To Parliament In Iceland, First Pirate Party Victory In National Parliament

from the in-just-five-months dept

Mon, Apr 29th 2013 3:03am — Mike Masnick

There's been a bit of political upheaval over in Iceland with this weekend's national election. As was widely expected, the "centre-right" opposition parties have returned to power, though many are pointing out that these are the same folks who "bankrupted" Iceland (though it wasn't them alone who did that...). However, in this upheaval, it appears that the brand new Pirate Party Iceland, which started just a few months ago, was able to squeak by the 5% threshold and gain what appears to be 3 Members of Parliament. That would make it the first Pirate Party victory in a national parliamentary election. As many of you already know, the Pirate Party has elected two MEPs to the European Parliament from Sweden, and there have been a number of victories in various German regional elections, though the German Pirate Party has also gone through some recent upheaval of its own. The Icelandic Pirate Party is lead by Birgitta Jónsdóttir, who is a former Member of Parliament in Iceland who got plenty of attention (including from the US government) for helping Wikileaks.

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Filed Under: iceland, pirate party

45 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 3:09am

and i suppose she and the other Pirate Party members will get more attention from the USA. we all know that it and it's 'trade representatives' cant keep noses out of others business!
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Ninja (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 3:38am

That's yet another epic win. As for the "centre-right" coming back I'm not in touch with things in Iceland but I'm inclined to believe the Icelandic voted to other faces, not the same shit (although under the hood it may be the same shit), however the people have shown their disgust. The Pirate Party is also there to prove it (along with the 'upheaval') so they will be more careful before trying anything funny again (or not and then the people will speak yet again).

We'll see a big increase in the opposition mainly in Pirate Parties getting to power around the world. I'd say that even in the US if they manage to fully register the party it's gonna snatch fairly decent wins right from the start.

"We the people" are quite fed up with the ones in power.
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- Zakida Paul (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 3:44am
  
  Re:
  It won't happen in the UK because the mainstream parties and puppet media will just keep them out of leader debates so they do not have the same platform to be heard. It is happening already with UKIP and the Greens.
  
  Ironically, with UKIP, they are expending so much time and expense to discredit them when the fastest way to do so is to put Farange in a debate with other leaders. That, however, is a debate for another time and place.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 4:11am
    
    Re: Re:
    The other issue is the voting meta-game, no-one wants to back a loser and there are plenty of places where a lesser of two evils vote is an attractive option.
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  - Ninja (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 5:35am
    
    Re: Re:
    Considering how the Pirate Parties are intertwined with the Internet (which is a platform where information can flow in a quite free and fast way) I don't think it's much of an issue. At least not in more developed countries that have deeper internet adoption by the general population.
    
    The fact that they managed to actually get any position in the govt at all is evidence of the phenomenon.
    
    What's left for debate is how long it'll take for them to have enough power to force the rest to notice them.
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  - Designerfx (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 6:24am
    
    Re: Re:
    you can't keep the internet out of a debate. you can keep the debate out of the internet.
    
    guess which one of those matters more with those who vote for the pirate party?
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    - Zakida Paul (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 7:42am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Trouble is, though, that is such a small slice of the overall electorate. Middle England are the ones who matter in an election and they are the ones who care least about what the Pirate Party stand for. They are to busy moaning about immigration and benefits to even notice that our rights and freedoms are being eroded. PPUK just can't get any traction.
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      - Ninja (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 9:39am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Great changes come in homeopathic doses. When the dose reach a critical mass the change will be drastic. We must do our job and spread the news, raise awareness. It's working like ants, a small bit at a time.
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- Haywood (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 6:16am
  
  Re:
  I'd be more enthusiastic if not for my experience with local government. Ours are quite corrupt, occasionally, we manage to elect a good honest person. Within 6 months to a year, they are as nearly as bad as the previous ones. I don't think this is perception, I've known a couple before they were candidates, & couldn't believe how they were voting a year after election. Apparently $$ is one hell of a drug.
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  - Ninja (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 6:25am
    
    Re: Re:
    Indeed and humans are greedy by nature it seems. I wonder what would happen if everyone gave in to greed as they do. Imagine a legion wanting to grab their positions and destroy them? could be entertaining.
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  - JarHead (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 7:19am
    
    Re: Re:
    Human is highly adaptable to it's environment. Put a highly noble/honest/what-other-good-trait person in a highly corrupt environment, and (s)he is most likely to be "adapted" to that environment. Of course once a while there come a person who defies the norm and make the environment adapt to him/her instead, but that's an exception/anomaly rather than a rule.
    
    Yes the $$ is a factor, but not the only one. The most dangerous is the "slippery slope" actions. "To achieve common good I must sacrifice X," and hell break loose from there. As they say, "the road to hell is full of good intentions".
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  - John Fenderson (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 10:40am
    
    Re: Re:
    This is not your imagination. It's a problem with the corruption being systemic, and is why just voting the right people in is woefully inadequate in terms of fixing the problem.
    
    The problem facing a good, honest politician is this: if you don't play along with the corruption, you can get nothing at all accomplished. So, if you're worried about effecting the greatest good, your choice is to engage in the corruption yourself to some degree and get something good accomplished, or remain pure and unsullied, but accomplish nothing whatsoever.
    
    The root problem is not the politicians, it's the system.
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TA-TAM, 29 Apr 2013 @ 3:48am

well done the PP
I do hope we get more Greens and some PP into Scotland soon.
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Jay (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 4:13am

Gandhi
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 4:37am

Your minions are pleased. Congratulations, Mike. I can't imagine how happy this makes you too.
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- Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 4:52am
  
  Re:
  and the minions of the opposition to freedoms are sooo sad :(
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    Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 5:32am
    
    Re: Re:
    Opposed to freedom? Not in the least. Freedom for me means respecting everyone's rights, not picking and choosing whose rights we think are unimportant and then shitting on them.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 5:40am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Rrrright - and you get to decide how to define freedom.
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    - Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 5:52am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Ah, everyone's rights...isn't everything somebody's right nowadays? If you have to depend on the government to afford you your rights then you have no rights at all.
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    - Ninja (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 5:52am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Awww, u hurt the rights you want imposed on everyone against their wills are not being respected?
      
      Let us see how they fare now that they got there, this is just the first step ;)
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 7:44am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Awww, u hurt the rights you want imposed on everyone against their wills are not being respected?
        
        I'm having your right not to have me smash your face in with a sledgehammer shoved down my throat. Why should I respect that?
        
        See how dumb.
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        AC Unknown, 29 Apr 2013 @ 8:33am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        And I'm using my right to report you for being an idiot.
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 8:48am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        That is easy, smashing someone's face with a sladgehammer is a permanent thing you can't unmashed it afterwards, copying on the other hand has no permanent effects good or bad that is.
        
        Copying is not a form of abuse, copying is not a form of violence, copying is not stealing.
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        Ninja (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 10:06am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        That would apply to me as well but this is something we both agree with, that it's a just, fair right that should be respected. As much as we agree that killing is not right. You see, copyright is much more controversial and hardly a socially accepted norm (as it is today).
        
        See the difference? I think we should both be glad that there are laws we both agree with that prevents us from mutually smashing each other to death.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 7:07am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      You mean the right to sue grandmothers and laser printers for unpublished pornography? What kind of right is that?
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 7:45am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        You mean the right to sue grandmothers and laser printers for unpublished pornography? What kind of right is that?
        
        Millions and millions and millions of DMCA notices that get actual infringing material removed, and you guys hyper-focus on the handful of mistakes. Hilarious.
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 7:56am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        The RIAA suing != DMCA. But keep trying. Soon you'll be able to rise to Prenda's level of failure.
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        This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        
        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 8:10am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        And 99.99% of the people settled. Yeah, that was a total fiasco. Keep focusing on the handful of mistakes, and completely ignore the millions and millions of pirates who get away with it, or at worst, get a slap on the wrist via a DMCA takedown. You guys are totally hilarious. Where does Mike you guys? Alleyways and dumpsters?
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 8:40am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Nah, he doesn't need to scrounge from where you got your tortured logic.
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 9:26am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Look! Our strong-arm tactics work, so we must be in the right! Right? I mean, seriously, who would pay a few thousand to avoid tens of thousands in legal fees to avoid a meritless lawsuit?
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 9:55am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        He found us where you found your artists that starved to death due to piracy.
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        John Fenderson (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 10:43am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        And 99.99% of the people settled.
        
        Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying the people only settle when the claim is legitimate? Now, that's laughable.
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        btr1701 (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 11:03am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        > And 99.99% of the people settled.
        
        And most people paid the mob enforcer when he came by their shop selling 'insurance', also.
        
        Settling a claim does not validate that claim, genius.
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 11:20am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        We saw what happened to the geniuses who were in fact infringers yet tried to contest it. Worked out well for them.
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        Anonymous Coward, 30 Apr 2013 @ 12:57am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Oh yes, we definately saw the unscrupulous liars on the other side attempt to get hold of their victim's daughter by impersonating a grandmother.
        
        Fucking terrorists.
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        btr1701 (profile), 30 Apr 2013 @ 2:26pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        > We saw what happened to the geniuses who were
        > in fact infringers yet tried to contest it.
        
        We also saw what happened to the vast majority of people who received these shakedown letters and told Big Copy to pound sand or just ignored them.
        
        Nothing.
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        G Thompson (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 11:52am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        or at worst, get a slap on the wrist via a DMCA takedown
        
        So your now stating that the DMCA is a punitive measure? hmmm that's interesting would you like to further place your foot in your mouth or would you rather just let that statement slide until it's taken out and cited when you claim that the DMCA "does nothing for rights holders and is topthless, and should be a punishment device backed by law instead" or words to that effect??? ... your move
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        Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 8:44am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Followed by millions of wrong or downright criminal ones being issued.
        
        No wonder Pirate Parties are starting to gain voters, you annoy everyone and don't expect a backlash?
        
        crazy fuck.
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        Josh in CharlotteNC (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 9:45am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Millions and millions and millions of DMCA notices
        
        Must be nice to assume that an accusation automatically means you're right if the other party doesn't fight.
        
        Let me try.
        
        I accuse you of jaywalking.
        I accuse you of not using your turn signal properly when driving.
        I accuse you of running away from home when you were 6 and being raised by circus people.
        
        This is fun!
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        AzureSky (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 11:22am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        handful?
        
        they sue
        
        dead people
        people who dont even have internet
        people who dont even have eletricity(at least 3 cases i know of)
        underage kids
        printers
        fax machiens
        
        i could go on and on, I could also point out that the RIAA has raided more then 1 legit record/music store with swat style gettups causing damage to the business and their rep, and they have NEVER ONCE found pirated music in one of these raids.
        
        they have however confiscated mix cd's from legit publishers and burned cd's and home copied/mastered cassettes by local indi bands/artists destroying them with the excuse they must be pirated because if they arent pressed/professionally copied they cant be legit...
        
        funny...since I have helpe 3 bands setup their own audio mastering systems and helped them get out their first albums that they used normal quality cd-r media and dvd burners to produce......
        
        your so full of shit your eyes must be brown.....
        
        oh and yes a few cases of people folding and taking plees have happened, but, when your looking at a stack of trumped up felony charges and years in prison, and you dont have the millions to fight the charges....
        
        gotta love our society and injustice system, thems who gots the monies makes the rules....
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    - G Thompson (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 11:47am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Which rights are you talking about...
      Please consider carefully especially when you realise and understand that copyright or any Intellectual property is NOT a right at all instead it is a LIMITED PRIVILEGE ONLY!
      
      Whereas the ability to COPY is a fundamental right that is constrained by statute, and therefore not inherent, by the limited privilege of copyright
      
      So I ask you again... WHAT RIGHTS ARE YOU BLABBERING ON ABOUT?
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    - Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 2:44pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      In 1834 the Supreme Court ruled in Wheaton v. Peters (a case similar to the British Donaldson v Beckett of 1774) that although the author of an unpublished work had a common law right to control the first publication of that work, the author did not have a common law right to control reproduction following the first publication of the work.[3]
      
      Their are no rights to be respected in copyrights, only privileges granted to creators and which are often transferred to middlemen. It is these middlemen claiming their rights are being taken away from them when in facy they are trying to protect a privilege which restricts other people rights.
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2013 @ 7:49am

Bjork's dress code. Nuff said.
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Shon Gale (profile), 29 Apr 2013 @ 1:25pm

Hallelujah!! About time. I don't remember a lot from my youth because of the haze I was operating in, but I remember this lesson from George Lucas. The most poignant line every stated in a movie and I quote from Star Wars "The tighter your grip, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." In other words MPAA and RIAA, we smell your foul stench. The corporations forget that according to the supreme court they are only 1 person, 1 entity. So treat as such. Vote against anything the corporations want. Believe me when I say no corporation is your friend! Unless you are an American politician then that's all that matters. The hell with the people.
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Anonymous Coward, 30 Apr 2013 @ 3:39pm

Now they don't like democracy! :D
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