SPIRIT
S.P.I.R.I.T is an acronym for Social, Progressive, International, Regionalist, Democrat and Future Oriented. This Flemish party usual allied with SPA is member of the Socialist group in the European Parliament as well as the European political party the European Free Alliance. The SPIRIT party underlines the importance of the principle of subsidiarity, meaning that decisions have to be taken at the lowest possible level. The EU Constitution must be put back on tracks and the EU must be granted with the competencies necessary to create more defence, foreign and immigration policies. They also believe that unanimity voting must be abolished in the Council of Ministers.
The cultural diversity of Europe is an asset that must be honoured through the official recognition of regional languages so that each citizen can communicate with the institutions. Moreover, the Committee of Regions must become a second chamber of the European Parliament and the regions must have a direct access to the Court of Justice.
The Spirit party also promotes further enlargement of the EU in particular the inclusion of all the Balkan states and advocates for a debate on fixing the borders of the EU. However they believe that Turkey should not become member of the EU as long as it does not fully respect the Copenhagen criteria on democratic governance and human rights, especially in regards to the Kurdish minority of the country.