Russian Pirate Party elects first official leadership

On January 19th through 21st, 2010, the first elections of the Russian Pirate Party's leadership have taken place. The eight members of the party's founding committee voted through the party's public forum, according to the election rules set up previously.

The newly elected chairman is Stanislav Shakirov, recently turned 23, a MSU mathematics graduate from Moscow who runs a small IT consultancy. He received 7 of 8 votes. Edgar Voskresensky from Moscow became vice-chairman. The founding commitee decided unanimously that all its members should join the Party Council.

Currently the Russian Pirate Party is an unofficial organization and part of the international Pirate movement. The PPR has supporters in many major Russian cities. Estimates give the total number of party sympathisants as about 800, with 50 active participants and 8 members of the founding committee.