May 5, 2009 10:22

Swedish 'Pirate Party' could win seat in election

New poll suggests file-sharing advocates could be in with an electoral shout

A new poll has suggested that the Pirate Party, a Swedish political party who back file-sharing, could be in with a shout of winning a seat in the European Parliament in June.

The survey conducted by Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter found that just over five per cent of the 1,500 people questioned said they would support the party.

With four per cent the minimum voting percentage for a European Parliament seat, the results suggest that the party winning one is not out of the question.

The Pirate Party was formed in 2006 with the political aim of legalising non-commercial file-sharing of music and films.

The results come shortly after four men involved with the setting-up and running of The Pirate Bay file-sharing website were given jail sentences in Stockholm for copyright infringement.