Pirate Party wins European seat

Sweden's pro-filesharing political group the Pirate Party has won a seat in the European parliament.

The party won 7.1% of the vote in the country, earning it one MEP, with a second to be confirmed if the Lisbon Treaty is passed.

Leader Reick Falkvinge told TorrentFreak: "We've felt the wind blow in our sails. Together, we have today changed the landscape of European politics. No matter how this night ends, we have changed it.

"This feels wonderful. The citizens have understood it's time to make a difference. The older politicians have taken apart young people's lifestyle, bit by bit. We do not accept the authorities' mass-surveillance."

The party ascribed its success in part to the guilty verdict in a recent trial involving founders of the unconnected Pirate Bay website.

The Pirate Party's stated aims are to "fundamentally reform copyright law, get rid of the patent system, and ensure that citizens' rights to privacy are respected".