[pp.int.general] Wikileaks : German "Young Liberals" declare war to the Pirate Party. | Junge Liberalen erklären in internem (geleaktem) Dokument der Piraten-Partei den Krieg, 6 Aug 2009

[Reinier Bakels]

> Subject: Re: [pp.int.general] Wikileaks : German "Young Liberals" declare 
> war to the Pirate Party. | Junge Liberalen erklären in internem 
> (geleaktem) Dokument der Piraten-Partei den Krieg, 6 Aug 2009

It seems that the FDP perceives the Pirates as a threat. The FDP is always 
close to the 5% threshhold, sometimes above, sometimes below, so just a few 
votes going to the PP can keep the FDP out of the parliament (Bundestag) 
altogether, and hurt them tremendously. And the elections are next month! No 
time to loose!

Hence the "strategic" proposal *NOT* to debate with the PP, in order not to 
make PP wider known than it already is! Doesn't it run counter to basic 
democratic principles, a political party that is unwilling to discuss with 
any other party???

They are afraid of competition in the human rights field - apparently the 
FPD has similar views. Which is probably explained from their role as an 
opposition party, vs. the present government having a poor track record in 
that field.

On copyright, they adopt a traditional, conservative perception. Like the 
CDU/CSU. Merkels' CDU is apparently very popular these days. Isn't it an 
unattractive proposal from the FDP to offer "more of the same" in this 
field? Why wouldn't one vote then for "the real thing", Angie Merkel, in 
that case?

reinier