EU Parliament Next Stop for Pro-Piracy Party

Swedish pirates could soon be invading the European parliament, the Times of London reports. The Pirate Party, a political group whose sole aim is encouraging Internet copyright infringement, is poised to win several seats in next month’s elections. “The plan is Sweden, Europe, the world—in that order,” said the party’s top candidate. “This is a fateful question for Europe.”

But it’s especially salient in Sweden, one of the world’s most wired countries and home to the controversial file-sharing site Pirate Bay. Since its founders were given a year in prison for flouting copyright laws, Pirate Party membership has soared 215%. “Our politicians are digital illiterates,” said the group’s leader. “We need politicians that will not let themselves be bullied.” (More file sharing stories.)