Sweden's Mathias Sundin: 'The world’s first political Bitcoin only candidate'

Politician plans to run for office on Bitcoin funds alone, promises to clamp down on its regulations if elected

Mathias Sundin plans to run for the Swedish parliament on Bitcoin funds (Mathias Sundin )

Mathias Sundin is, in his own words, creating a world first: he is running for parliament on nothing but Bitcoins.

The politician and self-professed Bitcoin enthusiast is a member of Sweden’s Liberal Party, and though he has already been an MP in the Swedish parliament, he intends to do it again, but somewhat differently this time.

“To promote the spreading of Bitcoin and increase the awareness of new political challenges, I will – as the first political candidate in the world – only accept campaign donations in Bitcoin.

“If you want to support my campaign, you can’t give me dollars, Euros or Swedish Kronor, you must donate in Bitcoins,” he wrote on his blog.

The 36-year old deputy mayor and former MP has dubbed himself “The world’s first political Bitcoin only candidate” on his Twitter page, and what’s more, he wants to free-up to regulatory red tape surrounding crypto-currencies in Sweden, the Local reported.

If elected, Sundin promises to continue education reform in the country, to develop a tax system that promotes fast-growing, innovating companies, and to “resist knee-jerk regulation of Bitcoin, other digital currencies, and disruptive innovation in general”.

Sundin is a Republican supporter, and in 2008 worked on the presidential campaign for senator John McCain. He told The Local in 2012 that openly supporting the US Republican party can make for a “strange existence” in Sweden.

“You get weird questions and are always on the defensive having to explain your views,” he said.