First Pirate flags at city halls

In the Czech republic were on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th of October held elections to local councils, in some districts simultaneously with the additional elections to the Senate. The Czech Pirate Party reached unexpectedly good results there, including dominant victory in Mariánské lázně and seats in the councils of Prague and Brno. In total, Pirates gained 21 representatives in individual (non-coalition) lists of candidates and many more in various coalitions, confirming the trend of growing preferences visible since the parliamentary elections last year. 

"An unexpecpected success was the victory in Mariánské lázně where Pirates have won the elections with 21%, now having 5 representatives and possibility to create an example of a Pirate city hall," says local leader Knotek.
Pirates also succeeded in Prague (5.3%) with four candidates elected and in Brno where two members of regional board were elected in coalition with a movement Žít Brno. Other elected representatives are in Písek, Sadská, Trutnov, Majetín, Valeč and in other towns, districts and municipalities.

"We are very grateful for all our supporters and voters. We've won another battle and we are ready to march into new ones. Such great results are motivating even though with them also comes a great responsibility. We will continue in the Pirate policy which is based on the needs of citizens unsatisfied with the current state of politics. We believe that in local politics we can enforce new ideas and modern trends which will bring policy and decison-making closer to people," says chairman of the Czech Pirates, Lukáš Černohorský.

The Czech Pirate Party was established in 2009 as a part of the global movement that delineated against the expansion of transnational corporations restricting civil liberties and trying to control the Internet. The party promotes a transparent politics and direct involvement of citizens in the political decision-making as well as an abolition of the monopoly over copyrights and software patents. In the European elections Pirates narrowly missed a mandate, but in the municipal ones the success arrived.

The main points of the Pirate program in municipal politics of the Czech Pirate Party are transparent and open city hall, use of a free software, a register of lobbistic contacts and overall bringing the decision-making closer to citizens. Pirates keep their election promises and are going to work for people.
"We won't join any coalition, we fulfill our election promises even after elections. Pirates will not sit in the Prague council, on the contrary, our goal is to control the council and act as a constructive opposition," claims newly elected councilor of the capital city of Prague, Jakub Michálek.