Sociaal-Liberale Partij
The Sociaal - Liberal Partij listen? / I (SLP) was a Belgian left-liberal party that was active alone in Flanders. Its predecessor SPIRIT was after the collapse of Volksunie from the left wing emerged in 2001 this. Following an approach to the social democratic sp.a ( 2002 to 2008 ) and a first renamed VlaamsProgressieven (2008 ) and finally in Sociaal - Liberal Partij (2009), the party in late 2009 joined the green party Groen, due to disappointing election results! of.
The SLP and its predecessors were temporarily in the Federal Parliament, represented in the parliaments of Flanders and the Brussels Capital Region. She was also at times represented in the federal government and the Flemish government.
History and orientation
The Volksunie founded in 1954 (VU) was a social- liberal party with strong Flemish- national coat of paint. After the Volksunie was, however, in 2001 the so-called Lambermont Agreement, which formed the basis for the fifth Belgian state reform, failed and a split in the party looming, the left-liberal wing of the party and (now sp.a ), founded by Bert Anciaux collected political renewal movement ID21 and founded the party SPIRIT ( Sociaal Progressief internationaal regionalist integraal - Democratisch s toekomstgericht, German: social, progressive, international, regionalist, integrally democratic and forward-looking ). Founders were, among others, in addition to Bert Anciaux, Els Van Weert and Geert Lambert. The right wing of the VU collected his part to Geert Bourgeois, the founder of the Nieuw- Vlaamse Alliantie (N -VA).
From 2002 until November 2008 SPIRIT formed a "political cartel " with the US-led Steve Stevaert sp.a, the Social Democratic Party of Flanders. This included a list of connection with elections, and increased political cooperation. As a result they lost in November 2002, however, important politicians in the direction of Open VLD ( such as Vincent Van Quickenborne or Patrik Vankrunkelsven ) and Groen! ( such as Ferdy Willems ). The cartel was vital for the small party, as had been introduced at the federal level since the elections of 2003, a five-percent hurdle ( restrictive clause ). As a result, SPIRIT came mainly in the headlines, as the party leadership in 2005 a compromise solution for the electoral district of Brussels -Halle- Vilvoorde, which was accepted by the other partners of the Government Verhofstadt II refused. On the European level, the party was part of the regionalist European Free Alliance.
In the federal election of 2007 SPIRIT suffered together with the sp.a a bitter defeat and alone Geert Lambert was able to defend his seat in the Senate. To dynamic again the party was decided in 2008, she in VlaamsProgressieven ( Vl.Pro ) to term. In the same year suggested Anciaux before, the final Vl.Pro with the sp.a, which was led in the interim by Caroline Gennez, to unite, but turned the majority of members, however, Lambert. Consequently Gennez decided in November 2008 to dissolve the cartel final. Bert Anciaux and some companions went in January 2009 to sp.a.
To illustrate the fraction of the cartel and to distance themselves from the sp.a the party was renamed once again on 1 January 2009, this time in Sociaal - Liberal Partij (SLP). In the regional elections of 2009, however, the SLP could provide a single deputies in the Flemish Parliament, so that on 19 December 2009, after brief negotiations to merge with the green party Groen! was held under the chairmanship of Wouter Van Besien and the final resolution of the SLP.
The party joined, among others, for combating poverty and debt, greater federalization of Belgium and the division of the electoral district of Brussels-Halle - Vilvoorde, interculturality and the regularization of illegal immigrants ( the so-called sans papiers ).
Election results and government participation
Federal level
In the federal elections of 2003 SPIRIT won as a cartel partner of sp.a a great electoral success. While the sp.a -SPIRIT total for the Chamber of 14.91 % of the vote and 23 seats and for the Senate received 15.47% and 7 seats, SPIRIT were attributable solely to six seats in the chamber and two in the Senate. In the federal government Verhofstadt II under Guy Verhofstadt (VLD ) Bert Anciaux SPIRIT 2003-2004 acted as Minister for Mobility and social economy. From 2004 to 2007 Els Van Weert was represented as Secretary of State for Sustainable Development and Social Economy in the government.
In the federal elections of 2007, the cartel sp.a -SPIRIT suffered a significant defeat. In the Chamber of Deputies SPIRIT disappeared completely ( the 14 remaining seats went to the sp.a ) and the Senate alone could Geert Lambert save his seat.
Flanders and Europe
In the regional elections of 2004, the cartel sp.a -SPIRIT received 19.66 percent of the vote and 25 seats. Five of these mandates were given to SPIRIT. After breaking the cartel in 2008 SPIRIT were left (and later Vl.Pro ) only two representatives, but had to sit as independents, because they were not numerous enough to form a group. From 2004 to 2009 Bert Anciaux as Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport in the Flemish Governments under Yves Leterme and Kris Peeters (both CD & V ) represented ( first for SPIRIT and after breaking the cartel as an Independent and then for the sp.a ). At the same time, held European elections, the cartel received 11.04% of the vote and three seats in the European Parliament.
In the regional elections of 7 June 2009 and after fracture of the cartel, the SLP received only 1.09% of the vote and lost all representation in the Flemish Parliament. At European level, the SLP came out not higher than 0.40 % of the votes and here could fight no seat.
The municipal elections of 2006, however, brought no great change for the cartel sp.a -SPIRIT with it.