"Pirate Party" set to win seat in Euro Parliament!

Stockholm - Two opinion surveys released Friday suggested that the Pirate Party, a one-issue party that has campaigned against copyright laws and for file-sharing, was set to win at least one of Sweden's 18 seats in the European Parliament. The party had 6.1 per cent, translating to one seat, according to the Synovate polling institute's survey of 1,482 voters during May 28 to June 3.

The poll commissioned by the Dagens Nyheter daily suggested that Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's conservative Moerate Party would win five seats, up one, polling 22 per cent while the opposition Social Democrats would keep their current five seats.

The Synovate poll suggested the Green Party would gain one seat to two, while the Left Party would lose one of its two seats.

A separate survey by polling institute SIFO indicated that the Pirate Party could even win two seats, scoring 8.2 per cent.

The survey conducted May 25 to June 3 among 1,897 voters was commissioned by Stockholm daily Svenska Dagbladet.

Analysts said the Pirate Party has to get its supporters to actually go and cast their ballots. Its main base is young men aged under 30.

"There is a big risk that you don't vote when you are 18 to 24. Other activities compete like football matches and concerts," Henrik Oscarsson, political scientist at Gothenburg University, said.