Dotcom's lost Mana but Internet Party may ride again at 2017 election

Hone Harawira.

Internet Party founder Kim Dotcom says his party could still make another bid for election in 2017 despite its merger with the Mana Party coming to an end.

Mana Movement leader Hone Harawira confirmed at the weekend that the two parties had formally split after failing to win a seat in the last election.

The Internet Party will soon be leaderless as Laila Harre plans to stand down and its main backer, Mr Dotcom, says he has run out of money fighting his extradition to the United States.

But the internet entrepreneur suggested yesterday the movement was still alive, saying he "would not be surprised if the Internet Party has another go" in 2017.

He did not want to comment further as he was focused on getting the US branch of his party up and running for the US elections in 2016. The US Internet Party will be backed and run by American citizens, but Mr Dotcom is likely to play some role.

He put at least $3.25 million of his personal income into the Internet Party, launched this year in a bid to bring down Prime Minister John Key and the National-led Government.

He said last month his long legal fight against extradition to the US on copyright and money-laundering charges had left him broke. All the shares in his online file-sharing company Mega were held in a trust of which his wife, Mona, and five children were beneficiaries.

Internet-Mana got 1.42 per cent of the party vote in the September 20 election and won no seats. Its chances hinged on Mr Harawira keeping his Te Tai Tokerau seat, which he lost to Labour's Kelvin Davis.

Mr Harawira has confirmed he is looking to stand in the next election.