Ljubljana - The non-parliamentary Pirate Party set out its manifesto for the 24 April general election on Thursday, which centres on measures to preserve democracy and freedom, and combat corruption.

The party announced that it was going to contest the election independently with candidates in all electoral units, and on a broad substantive platform.

The key priorities will be environmental protection, rebuilding the welfare state, modernising the economy, tackling healthcare, and repairing the damage caused by Covid-19 and the misguided actions of the current government.

The party also pledges to address the challenges of digitalisation and automation.

A central theme of its programme is the fight against corruption, which appears in most of the party's programme points.

But the main focus is to be on preserving democracy and freedom, including by strengthening direct democracy, introducing referendum days, limit terms of public officials, introducing a reserve vote and the possibility of recalling MPs and mayors.

Party member Ratko Stojiljkovic said they had also drawn up measures to depoliticise the public media, the civil service, the armed and police forces.

The Pirate Party won 2.15% of the vote in the 2018 general election, emerging as the second strongest among the parties that remained below the 4% threshold to enter parliament. Some opinion polls suggest it could garner roughly the same proportion of the vote this year.