Italian foreign Minister to replace Buttiglione
Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi tonight confirmed his foreign minister Franco Frattini to replace Rocco Buttiglione in the European Commission.
The breakthrough in the row over the shape of the incoming 25-strong team came at the start of an EU summit in Brussels.
As EU leaders gathered, Mr Berlusconi bowed to pressure to sort out the mess triggered by MEPs’ rejection of Mr Buttiglione, the centre-right- anti-gay staunch Catholic who was the Italian leader’s personal choice as the Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs.
Naming Mr Buttiglione’s replacement breaks the deadlock and paves the way for Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to complete his mini-reshuffle to ensure no repeat rejection when the European Parliament finally votes to approve the whole team.
That could now be as soon as November 17, after confirmation hearings in Brussels next week when Euro-MPs will effectively carry out job interviews with Mr Frattini and any other newcomers in the reshuffle who have not already been vetted for suitability.
Those hearings could take place as soon as next week, with a final vote in mid November, enabling the old Commission team – which should have left office last Monday – to stand down and the new team to start work.
At the moment the confirmed new Commission members, including Peter Mandelson, are kicking their heels without pay while waiting to begin work.
Mr Barroso’s reputation was damaged by his forced withdrawal of his entire team when a “no” vote of Euro-MPs became inevitable.
Mr Buttiglione then stepped down and Mr Barroso used the fall-out to oust Latvian Commissioner-designate Ingrida Udre, who had also failed to impress MEPs.
Tonight, joining EU leaders as the summit began, Mr Berlusconi let it be known he had chosen a replacement, and Mr Barroso was due to table a revised 24-strong team to serve under him – drawing a line under the setback which has overwhelmed him even before he has taken office.
Mr Frattini, a former magistrate, who is at the Brussels summit with his boss, is expected to slot straight into the Justice and Home Affairs job – the dossier considered too sensitive for a man with Mr Buttiglione’s views on homosexuals, single mums, and the role of women.
The replacement of Ms Udre, plus a possible job shuffle for Hungarian Commissioner-designate Laszlo Kovacs, should, Mr Barroso hopes, appease MEPs and prevent any repeat rejection of his Commission team.
