Change Germany and you change Europe. Change Europe and the anti-sharing forces can no longer force their will on the world.

Rick Falkvinge explains:

“If the German Piratenpartei manages to get 10-15% in the national elections, comes out on top in the coalition game, and becomes a supporting part of the next German administration in return for the administration absorbing its policies, then the game is over, and we won. That development would set off a chain of events:

* With Germany’s administration having taken the pirate viewpoint, no more backroom deals for repressive net legislation would include Germany. With Germany being the politically heaviest country in Europe, that means that such backroom deals could no longer happen between other European countries and include a large enough political majority.

* Germany would soundly block any repressive legislation in the European Council, which, together with Poland and other pro-net heavyweights, would make them impossible even if pushed by others.

* To the contrary, deals would be made with Germany and the former eastern-Europe states that ensured freedom of speech and expression on the net, without politicians caring if the copyright industry needs to adapt or die as a result.

* Several smaller countries (but initially not France or the UK) would adapt quickly to new circumstances, ignoring pressure from the US once Europe decides to lead its own path into the future. Politicians would do this partly out of fear of losing votes to the local Pirate Party. This further strengthens the momentum for the pirate viewpoint.

* Having soundly tipped towards net freedom, Europe will reject any attempts at net control, and thus, the rest of the democratic world has no choice but to follow suit. Monopolies are meaningless if not respected universally, and if Europe rejects monopolies on ideas, knowledge, and culture, then the rest of the world will follow within one or two decades at the most.

Of course, it is possible that Germany’s Piratenpartei takes 10-15% but still ends up in the German political opposition. If so, things will still progress, but at a slower pace, and in four more years, we will probably see our five per cents in multiple more parliaments, delaying the plan’s progression by a mere couple of years. There are Pirate Parties pretty much everywhere now, including outside of Europe, which is crucial for long-term sustainability of the plan (as well as short-term pressure for change).

We are winning. We are changing the global rules of the game. Together, we’re hacking the system to upgrade it for a new generation.”