[pp.int.general] EU elections

[Rick Falkvinge (Piratpartiet)]

> Are the pirates in sweden on the safe site?
We're safe. Our registration in 2006 is still valid (actually, it stays
valid until we fail to show up for two elections straight). The Election
Authority lists all registered parties:

http://www.val.se/det_svenska_valsystemet/partier/lista_registrerade_partibeteckningar/index.html

The vast majority of them are local parties, running for municipal or
county councils, but a few of them have the validity "Samtliga val" --
meaning "All elections".

17 parties have ordered ballots for the Europarl elections:

http://www.val.se/val/ep2009/valsedlar/index.html

Out of these, a handful are microparties that won't register on any
radar. The party "666 for a EU Super State with freedom, equality,
justice, peace, love and happiness" (yes, that's the registered name)
has never been seen before, for instance, and likely won't be seen
again, either. It's probably just some random guy who ordered ballots
for an unregistered party (you don't have to register, but it gives
credibility and name protection). I'd say 11 of the listed parties are
serious contenders, 8 of which are in the EP today for Sweden.