While the Germans voted their Piratenpartei into Parliament in Schleswig-Holstein last Sunday, the Greeks also went to the polling stations. The Greek Pirate Party did an amazing first election.
The Greek Pirate Party, Κόμμα Πειρατών Ελλάδας, was founded on January 14 this year. To get 32,487 votes less than four months later – just over half a percent of the Greek votes – is nothing short of phenomenal. Even breaking through to mainstream awareness in four months is phenomenal.
It should be noted that the distance between nothing and 0.5 per cent is much larger than the distance between 0.5 and 5 — once you start hitting 2-3 per cent, you get your own bar in the polls, and become “electable”. You have a shot at parliament, so you’re not a wasted vote anymore.
The Greek PP has posted a letter thanking all 32,487 citizens for the confidence. Well done, and classy.
I had the privilege of meeting some of the activists in the Greek PP while I was in Prague last month, at the Pirate Parties International meeting. On that meeting, our Greek brothers and sisters were also taken up in the community.
I think this signifies the depth and breadth of the Pirate Party community and the strength of the underbrush that we come from. Greece is quite diverse from Sweden, where the movement started six years ago, and yet the same political movement can make quite rapid advances in Greece, too. It’s like the difference between Germany’s Berlin and Saarland elections, which were also different and day as night, and still, the Pirate Party prevailed.
I’m really looking forward to the next five years. In the meantime, Συγχαρητήρια, Ελλάδα.
Thank you Rick, and as we say in Greek : Ευχαριστούμε!
Ευχαριστούμε Rick!!!!
Thank you Rick……
Thank you! Your words are inspiring for the Greek Pirate Party!
thanks greek pirates will grow in a strong party
Thank you Rick……..
Thank you Rick…
In those constituencies where it was actually possible to vote pirate they averaged 0,66%. All those zer-constituencies due to trouble with ballots dragged down the overall result.
Let’s not forget that Greece is, right now, most likely the most hostile territory a liberal party could have. The greek pirates could probably have harvested an extra 5% or so if they had put inflammatory rhetoric in the foreground.
And so this result is nothing short of amazing and proves that some people in Greece still remember their philosophers.
[…] Rick Falkvinge, Ιδρυτής του Κόμματος Πειρατών Σουηδίας Μετάφραση Ο.Τ. από το από το http://falkvinge.net/2012/05/09/congratulations-on-first-elections-greek-pirate-party/ […]
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Now translated in Greek (by O.T.) & posted on ppGR site
http://www.pirateparty.gr/2012/05/sygxaritiria-apo-rick/
Thank you Rick!
Rick thank you very much for your inspiring words. Your Greek friends need your support !!!
So the next round of elections is coming up in four weeks… I wish you luck and all possible success, Komma Peiratwn Elladas!
[…] months since it was set up! As the Swedish Pirate Party Founder Rick Falkvinge expressly said in a congratulatory letter to the Greek Pirates, ”Even breaking through to mainstream awareness in four months is […]
[…] is how many voters in Greece voted for the Greek Pirate Party, according to a report from Rick Falkvinge: The Greek Pirate Party, Κόμμα Πειρατών Ελλάδας, was […]
You’ve missed another good election for the Pirates: The French Parliament: http://www.pcinpact.com/news/71446-legislatives-2012-parti-pirate-bons-resultats.htm
Best results for now (as expected) by Isabelle Robin in one of the districts for French living outside France* (central and eastern Europe, including Germany). With little more than a month for preparation, no budget whatsoever, a team of five people (and a little help from the German Pirates), she achieved a total of 2.85% of votes.
Full disclosure: I’m one of those five 🙂
*It’s possible for the first time that the French living outside France can take part in the elections for Parliament. Sarkozy probably changed this because he hoped that the people outside might hate him less than those who actually had to live in France.
I thought I had posted. My bad. A thank you, from me as well.
[…] Pirate Party has been making gains all over Europe. They actually have a mayor in Germany, who is no longer an […]