How to start a Pirate Party

(crash version)

This article summarizes very briefly some first steps of how to create a new pirate party.

It is an attempt to give a starter help for people, who'd like to do this in their own country.

Due to different customs and legislatives in every nation. it's impossible to cover every detail herein.

Do not hesitate to ask for help, e.g.

Before you begin

Make sure that there is no other party (resp. an attempt to create one) yet in your country or region. If there is, rather consider to join them, than creating a fork; together you will be stronger and the organizations itself should have a democratic processes within, where different opinions can be taken into consideration and elections for board positions are held

Make sure you understand the common concept of what a pirate party should more-or-less aim for; e.g. take a look at this wiki or different pirate party websites
Create public accessible communication channels i.e. a website, facebook page, twitter feed, a message board (you can ask for that at PPI), a mail list
- a wordpress template that many Pirate Parties use is available here: http://piratenkleider.xwolf.de/dokumentation/pirate-website-clothing/
- PPI can host a subforum in our international subforum on request
- PPI can host a mailing list on our list server on request
Advertise your communication channel. Try to use existing communication channels of existing organization which address pirate party topics to get more supporters
Take your time to discuss the name of the organization (it should have "pirate" and optionally "party" in any language within), it's structure and the goals you would like to aim for
Get in touch; if possible not only virtually, but also in person.

Check your national law, for which organization form you should aim for. Of course you should
Some nations might set very high stakes for becoming a political parties (i.e. at least 50'000 supporters and such); if this applies to your nation create a non-party organization before (which is usually easier). This enables you to create first structures. You then can still create a political party later on, when you can fulfil all stakes.
Agree on a board structure and a party program or charter for the organization you would like to create
Agree on a possibility to candidate for board positions
Agree on a date to create the organization
Inform the local media about the creation of your organization before or after the event. Refer to previous successes of pirate parties from other nation to create more interest.
Hold the event, where you create the organization and elect it's board

Show an opinion on "pirate" topics, try to get that opinion into the media
consider creative actions that are producing images that can easily be used by the media (in 2009 a group of 20 German Pirates have made into worldwide frontpage news by a creative demonstration agains "nude scanners" at the airports by striping down to underwear at security checkpoints claiming "we dont need to be nude-scanned, we are already naked")
Try to pick up relevant topics in your nation for your organization; the best is to address them before it's published all over the media
In order to gain a certain momentum and to break through mainstream awareness, you need to get a black swan, e.g. see Rick Falkvinges comment on this
run in every election that you can. You will learn from every attempt.