Iceland: Stronghold of the Pirate Party

Back in 2006 in Sweden, the first Pirate Party was established. Called the Piratpartiet, it initially stood for the reform of copyright and patent laws. That year it attracted 0.63 percent of votes in the general election, making it the tenth largest party (out of 40). Since then, a number of other Pirate Parties have been formed around the world, leading to the 2010 creation of the Pirate Parties International NGO which serves as the global organization for all affiliated parties.

While the Swedish version received only 0.4 percent of the vote in the latest election, one incarnation is currently standing head and shoulders above the rest. In Iceland's latest election in 2016, the Pirate Party, or Píratar, became the third largest, winning 10 seats from a 14.5 percent share of the vote.

With the next election coming unexpectedly early after the collapse of the newly formed coalition, October 28 will be the next test for Píratar. Latest polling suggests they will fall to a 10.5 percent share.