WHO HOLDS THE POWER IN DIGITAL PARTIES? THE CASE OF THE CZECH PIRATE PARTY

Abstract

Digital platforms play a dominant role in shaping (part of) the public sphere and are increasingly being adopted by political parties. These platforms connect people to various services, such as taxis and food delivery, by utilizing social media and Big Data to personalize their offerings. Political parties have embraced a similar approach, leading to the digitalization of political movements in two distinct forms: the gradual adaptation of existing parties, and the emergence of new (digital) parties. Most existing research on digital parties has primarily focused on movements in Western Europe, such as the Spanish Podemos, the Italian Five Star Movement, and the German Pirate Party. Shifting the focus to Eastern Europe and examining the case of the Czech Republic provides a unique opportunity. This paper specifically delves into the Czech Pirate Party, offering a comprehensive analysis of its intra -party democracy and power relations within the digital landscape. The analysis draws upon seven interviews conducted with party members, and an examination of party documents and websites. By addressing the question of who wields power in Czech Pirate Party, this study aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding digital parties.