Pirate Party teams up with Greens in European parliament
06/25 2009 | 04:57 PM
Posted by: Janko Roettgers
Newly elected Pirate Party representative Christian Enstroem will join the group of the European Greens in the EU parliament. The party reportedly got offers to join a number of groups, including a coalition of liberal parties and a leftist group. Representatives of the Green party group had this to say about their new member:
"The Greens/EFA Group is delighted to welcome the Swedish Pirate Party, which shares our principles and values in defending internet users' rights. Christian Engstroem will have an independent status within our group and he has indicated he will support the Greens/EFA position in areas where the Pirate Party has no agenda."
The Greens currently have a total of 54 members in the European parliament. Joining this group should give Engstroem considerably more influence that figthing it out as a lone wolf. It's unclear how the Pirate party's members and voters will take the announcement that Enstroem is going to support Green issues.
However, at least two supporters of the two movements should be qite happy about this decision: The Pirate Bay's Peter Sunde aka brokep had announced that he was going to support the Greens in the recent EU election, whereas his partner in crime (no pun intended) Fredrik Neij aka Tiamo had thrown his support behind the Pirate Party.
"The Greens/EFA Group is delighted to welcome the Swedish Pirate Party, which shares our principles and values in defending internet users' rights. Christian Engstroem will have an independent status within our group and he has indicated he will support the Greens/EFA position in areas where the Pirate Party has no agenda."
The Greens currently have a total of 54 members in the European parliament. Joining this group should give Engstroem considerably more influence that figthing it out as a lone wolf. It's unclear how the Pirate party's members and voters will take the announcement that Enstroem is going to support Green issues.
However, at least two supporters of the two movements should be qite happy about this decision: The Pirate Bay's Peter Sunde aka brokep had announced that he was going to support the Greens in the recent EU election, whereas his partner in crime (no pun intended) Fredrik Neij aka Tiamo had thrown his support behind the Pirate Party.
Øystein B. Jakobsen wrote:
Im vice precident for FriBit - a civil rights NPO in Norway (meaning Im the president of Vice), and we work closely with both the Greens and the political party Left...its a clear trend, both natural and odd at the same time.
Usually its the political right parties that fronts individual freedom and trying to keep the state away from private affairs, but they seem to value business interests much higher than individual freedom these days.
Makes my vote even easier in the upcoming election (in Norway)