The third reason behind the Pirates’ malaise is the fact that mishaps are taking their toll. When Schlömer, the party boss, called upon the 45 Pirate representatives in state parliaments to make a financial contribution to the party’s national organization, he slammed against a wall of refusals. So the issue of solving the party’s massive money problem was just put off for another day. But this means that many party candidates will lack the funds they need to run professional campaigns for next year’s federal and state elections. What’s more, almost half of the party’s members have yet to pay their annual membership fee.¹

What? Are members of a party based on the notion that you should be able to take the stuff you want for free not willing to pay for stuff?

Who would have guessed that?