Kim Dotcom's Internet Party bombs out of New Zealand election

FBI extradition target and internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom has failed in his ambition to upset the governing National Party in today's New Zealand election.

Dotcom's Internet Party had allied with the Mana Party, an indigenous Maori group from New Zealand's north.

Mana had a sitting member of parliament, Hone Harawira. If Harawira had held his seat, the combined party, called Internet Mana, would not have needed to reach the 5 percent vote threshold required under New Zealand's electoral system to gain seats in Parliament.

Disastrously, Internet Mana lost its single seat and only gained 1.26 percent of the vote.

That was despite hosting an event last week dubbed "The Moment of Truth" that made global headlines and featured NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, journalist Glenn Greenwald, and, via the internet, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

They detailed new revelations about New Zealand's role in the Five Eyes cyberspying network with allies the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.

However, Dotcom failed to deliver on a promise to expose New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key conspiring with Hollywood executives to trap him in New Zealand and aiding the FBI's extradition case.

The FBI wants Dotcom to face racketeering charges related to his now shuttered file-sharing website Megaupload.

After tonight's defeat, Dotcom said he carried the loss on his shoulders and apologised to Harawira and the party at an event in Auckland.

Dotcom told supporters that "brand Kim Dotcom" had been poisoned and left.

Since Megauploand was closed and Dotcom's assets were seized in a controversial 2012 raid on his mansion, Dotcom has launched a new venture, privacy website Mega.

After serving two terms already. Key's National Party returned with an increased majority.