On Sunday 01.06.2025, the 12th Congress of the Pirate Party of Greece (PPGR) took place, entirely via video teleconference (VTC). This Congress was destined to be crucial, as the party’s Body of Members was called upon to decide on subjects pertaining not only to typical procedural formalities, but also the party’s political and ideological identity. Specifically:
- Through voting on the new Statutes (which shall be translated to English in due course) and the Rethymno Declaration, the PPGR’s Body of Members was asked to deliberate and decide on the strengthening of the progressive, secular, anti-racist, and inclusive character of the party, and on the clarification of a wider scope of political action for the party.
- It was also asked to decide on the future of its relations to the European Pirate Party (PPEU) and the Pirate Parties International (PPEU), bearing in mind the positions expressed by their leaderships.
After extensive and in-depth briefing by the Governing Board on the state of the Pirate Movement, the Body of Members concluded that a new beginning is necessary, on a concrete, consistent, progressive ideological base, without “nods” to neoliberalism, technofeudalism, neo-colonialism, and the far right, and also without any connection to institutions and persons whose public speech is deplorable. Thus, the Body of Members came to the following decisions:
- The Rethymno Declaration was unanimously approved. This replaces the Uppsala Declaration and is a political, ideological, and programmatic declaration of the Pirate Party of Greece. It is also a call for a reestablishment of the Pirate movement, this time on ideologically, politically, and morally solid foundations, without ambiguities. It is also tailored to the current political reality, the actual concerns and needs of the citizens and of the PPGR’s members, and will serve as a compass and a basis for the formulation of progressive, democratic, and inclusive political propositions.
- The new Statutes of the Pirate Party of Greece were also unanimously approved. This brings the following important changes-additions:
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- It strengthens the progressive character of the party, by incorporating, inter alia:
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- Provisions for the promotion of an entirely secular state, the strengthening of the party’s progressive ideological profile, as well as the protection of the members and the the people at large from gender-based, racial, regional, religious, ableist, etc discrimination.
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- Provisions for Member Organizations built on a geographic or professional/vocational/scientific basis.
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- Provisions for the prevention and handling of incidences of Conflicts of Interest or other incompatibilities, as well as safeguards to ensure the functioning of the party’s instruments will not be undermined.
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- Text that clarifies:
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- Members’ rights and obligations;
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- The functioning of the party’s instruments;
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- The duties and competences of the party’s instruments;
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- The duties, competences, and methodology of election and substitution of the members of the Governing Board and the Code of Conduct and Arbitration Committee;
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- Deliberation procedures;
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- The scope and functioning of the Three-Pirates Rule;
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- Provisions for the equitable and equal representation of genders in the instruments and ballots of the party;
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- Final and transitional provisions.
- With respect to the relation of the PPGR with the PPEU and PPI: the Body of Members unanimously decided for the party’s resignation from these two formations, as the Body of Members concluded that they (i) have abandoned the essence of the Pirate Ideology, which is antiracist, democratic, antimilitarist, pacifist, egalitarian, and promotes the peoples’ right to liberty and self-determination; (ii) produce no political added value whatsoever; (iii) do not enable constructive and productive political discourse. Members who took the floor stressed and condemned the hegemonic role played within these coalitions by persons who (a) promote militarism and a new arms race; (b) have fully adopted the positions and rhetoric of the extreme far-right and corrupt Israeli government; (c) express an impertinent contempt towards International Law, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the plethora of well-respected international humanitarian relief organizations, as well as the international Press freedom and civil and human rights organizations.
- The Body of Members orders and authorizes the Governing Board to proceed with the following actions:
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- Publish the Rethymno Declaration and the new Statutes;
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- Publish a Statement of Resignation from the PPEU and PPI;
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- Take initiatives to reach out and collaborate with individuals, parties, and organizations of the wider progressive-democratic side of the political spectrum, starting on the local and national level.
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