Another 59 Defenders Of Copyright Monopoly And Locked-Down Society Just Lost Their Jobs

Pirate Parties

Good News, Everyone! Yesterday, there were local elections in the German country of Niedersachsen, and 59 56 (fifty-six) seats were captured by the German Piratenpartei.

According to the latest tally from Piratenpartei Niedersachsen, the number of seats is now 56, fifty-six. Thanks to PiratGurra in the comments.

This is a terrific result — the German Piratenpartei is on a roll right now. Next weekend, on the elections this coming Sunday, we expect the Piratenpartei to take seats in the Parliament in Berlin.

It is absolutely amazing that we are taking the political jobs of those who are defending monopolies, locked-down culture and knowledge, and the erosion of civil liberties all over Europe at this rate. Also, losing one’s job is the only language politicians understand. Up until that point, they had done no wrong.

Politicians do not care for civil liberties unless they are losing votes and their jobs over it. And that’s exactly what’s happening, and what I expect to affect much more than just these fifty-nine.

(The final number may adjust somewhat, as usual. Right now, it appears to be 59. UPDATE: Indeed, as of 23:36 it’s 56.)

We are changing the world for the better, one election at a time.

A big yarr! from Sweden. Well done!

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About The Author: Rick Falkvinge

Rick is the founder of the first Pirate Party and is a political evangelist, traveling around Europe and the world to talk and write about ideas of a sensible information policy. He has a tech entrepreneur background and loves whisky.

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PiratGurra

September 12, 2011 - 15:29

Awesome, Rick!

Would be nice to see date and time of your posts here. I suppose this is quite new news but you never know. :o)

RESPOND TO THIS

1.1

Rick Falkvinge

September 12, 2011 - 15:33

I just learned of it, and tallies are coming in over Twitter as we speak. I do not expect 59 to be the final number of seats grabbed, but it appears to be the Piratenpartei’s own current count.

You can see the date of the post in the “meta box” — it says Posted by Rick Falkvinge on September 12, 2011.. Arguably, that doesn’t say time of day. Should it?

Cheers,
Rick

RESPOND TO THIS

Fredrik

September 12, 2011 - 15:38

It should be noted that these seats are spread over a large number of city councils. No place appears to have more than 2 pirate seats.

2.1

AeliusBlythe

September 12, 2011 - 17:16

That’s sill impressive, though. And it makes me a little sad that third parties in the US don’t get representation–almost ever– because they can’t get a full majority. But it is good to see change happening somewhere! Gives me hope…

RESPOND TO THIS

September 12, 2011 - 15:45

Yes, thanks Rick, I see now! Well time of day is maybe not so important after all. But placing the date somewhere it is easier to read may be a good thing.

Fredrik: If that is true – then it means that the pirate party is truly a very broad grass-roots movement in Germany. If the seats would have been concentrated to one or a few local areas, then some people may have thought it was “just a local coincidence” and nothing big.

suchenwi

September 12, 2011 - 15:56

Note however that until Saturday, German Pirates had 51 seats in local/city/district assemblies all over the country (collected since 2009). Election Sunday more than doubled that figure. There certainly is a trend there.

A rule seems to materialize: “If Pirates participate in an election at all, they will receive at least 1% of the vote. If there is no 5% threshold (as in local elections), Pirates will win at least one seat.” Now to get over the 5% hurdle in Berlin…

September 12, 2011 - 15:57

oops, should have been “..had 51 seats..”

[Fixed that for you. /Rick]

Elias L.

September 12, 2011 - 16:32

We owe it all to you Rick.

September 12, 2011 - 17:07

Now finally I see that the local piratenpartei in Niedersachsen have updated their site ;)

http://www.piratenpartei-niedersachsen.de/aktuelles/news/article/positiver-trend-bei-der-kommunalwahl-in-niedersachsen.html

Otros 59 defensores de los Monopolios del derecho de autor y la Sociedad de Control acaban de perder su trabajo | Partido Pirata

September 12, 2011 - 19:30

[...] Fuente Blog de Rick Falkvinge [...]

Antti

September 12, 2011 - 22:05

Full timestamp on blogposts in my opinion is a must.

Anders Troberg

September 13, 2011 - 15:37

Good news, but one minor nitpick:

Please avoid using the word “terrific” in this context, as it has a very double-edged meaning.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/terrific

Ssargon

September 13, 2011 - 17:59

Anders Troberg: I am quite sure it IS terrifying to some people thou ;-)

Henry Rouhivuori

September 16, 2011 - 00:46

http://www.abendblatt.de/politik/deutschland/article2028675/Umfrage-Piratenpartei-liegt-in-Berlin-vor-der-FDP.html

Berlin. Am Sonntag wird in der Hauptstadt gewählt. Wenige Tage bevor das neue Berliner Abgeordnetenhaus bestimmt wird, legt vor allem die Piratenpartei weiter zu. Sie kommt bei einer Umfrage des Meinungsforschungsinstituts “Info GmbH” im Auftrag von „Berliner Kurier“ und “Berliner Rundfunk” 91.4 auf 9 Prozent, im Osten sogar wie die Grünen auf 12 Prozent.

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