#hellopaul or the power of the Pirates

(la version française se situe plus bas)

Pirates from all over the world,

Yesterday I've asked your help with the #hellopaul twitter hashtag of the day. Because we were missing one official paper to run for signatures.

At 10:16 am yesterday morning #hellopaul was the trend number one in Germany. Then it started to get some relays in Belgium. At the end of the afternoon we were on Geeko, the technologeek blog of Le Soir, one of the main french speaking newspaper in Belgium.

At 7:30 am this morning I received the link to the official documents from a belgian pirate. He founded it on the website of 2012 elections.

I'd like to say thank you to everyone who helped us ! Pirates, democrates, politicians, journalists, citizen. That was a huge demonstration of the power of the participative democracy we are fighting for.

I'd like as well to wish very good holidays to Mr Paul Furlan whose twitter account was burning. I'd like to tell him « How do you do: We are the Pirats » and to recall him that there is still nothing in German... But I'm sure that his administration is working very quickly on it.

Thanks to all. It's time to go and meet the belgian people to tell them that the Belgian Pirats are in town and ready to take their political responsabilities with our without... rhum.

Dreams and Moods

 The link to Geeko is here

Pirates du monde entier,

Hier, j'ai demandé votre aide avec le hashtag twitter #hellopaul parce qu'il nous manquait le papier officiel pour la récolte des signatures.

À 10h16 hier matin, #hellopaul était la tendance n°1 en Allemagne. Ensuite, il a commencé à être relayé en Belgique. À la fin de l'après-midi, nous étions sur Geeko, le blog technologeek du Soir, un des plus importants journaux francophones de Belgique.

À 7h30 ce matin, un pirate belge m'a envoyé le lien vers les documents officiels. Il l'a trouvé sur le site des élections 2012.

J'aimerais remercier tout le monde qui nous a aidé ! Pirates, démocrates, hommes politiques, journalistes, citoyens. C'était une grande démonstration de la puissance de la démocratie participative pour laquelle nous nous battons.

J'en profite pour souhaiter d'excellentes vacances à monsieur Paul Furlan dont le compte twitter a explosé hier. J'ai envie de lui dire « Enchanté, nous sommes les Pirates » et lui rappeler, en passant, qu'il n'y a toujours aucun document disponible en allemand... Mais je suis persuadé que son administration travaille là dessus à très grande vitesse...

Merci à tous. Il est temps d'aller à la rencontre du peuple belge et lui faire savoir que les Pirates sont là et prêts à prendre leurs responsabilités politiques avec ou sans... rhum.

Dreams and Moods

À l'aboooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooordage !

Le lien vers l'article de Geeko: ici

Belgium and the lack of democracy

« Particracy » is often used to comment the belgian political system. That word is used on a pejorative way and the elected persons don't like to hear that word. Unfortunately we have again an exemple of that way of defending the interest of the old belgian parties.

To be allowed to be on the lists for the next elections in octobre there are procedures to follow. One of them, if you don't have any deputee, is to collect signatures. There are two possibilities. Entering the political arena helped by other parties. Or trough another way : the citizens. I consider that way much more legitime.

As a defender of the direct democraty, this second solution looks much more fair, more legitime. We need to have the approval of the other citizens to be on the lists. What can be more democratic ? If the potentially elected person do not manage to be supported by people, how could he have voices ? Would it be useful to be on the lists ?

It's easier to have signatures from deputees ? True. But is that not entering in the political game that I do not agree with ? Is it not be redevable for a service ? Above all what would be the official political line of the other parties ? And how much would it cost later ?

In beautiful Belgium, the second solution is way from easy. Without spotting anyone I consider this mission as almost impossible. I'm not speaking about the fact of finding a hundred of persons ready to support a new candidate in town, no.

I'm speaking about the fact that the official organization of the elections did not put the official paper for the provincial elections online ! We are at 58 days of the deadline and that sheet simply does not exist ! The official administration of this country conscientiously prevent the arrival of new parties by simply blocking the access.

I have a hangover when I realize that this way of working still exists in my country in 2012. I'm disgusted that only one media has relayed the information, l'avenir. It's not only for the pirates but for every single new organization who want to take part in these elections ! We are pushed away by the big parties. We are fighting for participative democracy. We want to meet the citizens !

Without speaking of a conspiration of victimise ourselves I have to underline that the fight will be hard. But it's not a big deal. Because behind every single computer there are revolted citizens. Traditional medias are dumb ? Let's make a buzz on internet. The world has to know.

Pirates or non pirates if you are a democrate we need you ! Let the world know our situation. It's time to show the autorithies taht we are hundreds, thousands ready to tell that we know what's happening.

We want democracy. We don't want this locking of the autorithies anymore. We want the access to direct democracy. We want to show that another way to enter the elections does exist. We will cross the oceans, the seven seas and even come back from the end of sea.

Because in our souls we are all pirates ! So rise the sailings, the Jolly Roger. Starboard : Twitter. Portside : Facebook ! It's time to fight to cross the boarder that the ships of his Majesty does not want to see us pass. But we will pass. Whatever happens we will pass.

If you are on twitter please share with #hellopaul. You can find that funny way of communication here.

À l'abordaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaage !

The minister in charge of that office is Paul Furlan. @Paul_Furlan

You can find all the information on the elections in French on the belgian official website. Here. 

And the media that outspotted the information in French. Here.

#hellopaul

Dear Pirates,

Everybody knows Belgium and its famous beers. The country with three languages. The country who was at the beginning of Europe with the Netherlands and Luxemburg. The country that hosts festivals, Francorchamps or the « Concours Reine Elisabeth ». The country of the heart of modern European democracy.

The Pirate Party of this country, my country, needs your help : we want to take part in the provincial elections. Unfortunately we need one official paper for the signatures. Unfortunately they don't have this paper : they are not in time because they are afraid of us. And unfortunately it's the only paper we are allowed to use. But fortunately we are pirates !

We have to put pressure on the person in charge of that administration. That person is @Paul_Furlan on twitter. We could spam him but it would be too easy. I would prefer a funniest way of a demonstration of our movement: a hashtag ! That's why I propose #hellopaul It will show him that we are everywhere. It will show the world that the Pirates are the Pirates.

We are fighting for democracy. We are fighting for freedom. We are fighting to take part to the elections in Belgium. In less than 60 days we have to give hundreds of signatures on an official paper from the belgian administration. So Pirates from all around the world, use your fingers, use your keyboard, and use the #hellopaul

Let's be funny, let's be friends. I would like to imagine that #hellopaul in the newspapers, in the medias, on television. But I know they will not allow us. So let's do it together all around the world and let's put it as a big smile in front of all the politicians let's do it as the hashtag of the day.

And of course, your grandmother goes to toilet it's #hellopaul The trains stops it's #hellopaul The fish makes a bubble it's to say #hellopaul The water is water, the fire is fire. The #hellopaul is the #hellopaul

We are not anonymous. We are Legion. We are the pirates.

À l'abordaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaage.

Belgium and the lack of democracy.