ALTHOUGH he has just been denied the justice portfolio in the European Commission, Rocco Buttiglione shows no rancour.

THE power struggle over the make-up of the new EU Commission is continuing with European governments refusing to recall their controversial commissioners as demanded by the European Parliament.

Italy’s choice for a European Commission post, who sparked an uproar with his comments on homosexuality and women, said today that he will step aside.

Italy's controversial nominee to the European Commission Rocco Buttiglione has said he is stepping down after his candidacy caused outrage among European leaders.

THE Taoiseach has indicated that Rocco Buttiglione, the controversial Italian candidate for the European Commission, will have to step down to resolve the row over the new commission.

Revolving doors on prisons were a real fascination in this country just a decade ago. Now the concept appear to have been transferred to a European context.

EUROPE is in uncharted waters. To avert a major political crisis, incoming EU President Jose Manuel Barroso had to back down in the row over controversial Italian Rocco Buttiglione's nomination as Justice Commissioner.

I DEPLORE the attack on Mr Buttiglione by so-called liberals who brook no opinion but their own.

Labour MEP Prionsias De Rossa has said that some of the nominees for the EU Commission team are unsuitable for their proposed job.

Opposition to his candidate for a key EC post left Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi with a tough decision today: Whether to stand by his choice or give in to protests over the conservative Catholic’s positions on gays and the family.

Charlie McCreevy’s position as Ireland’s EU Commissioner is secure despite the political crisis in Brussels, Government sources confirmed today.

EC President Jose Manuel Barroso backed down today only hours before the European Parliament appeared set to veto his 24 member executive.

THE events of the last few weeks have firmly established that commission president designate Jose Manuel Barroso is a gambler.

JOSE MANUEL BARROSO’s European Commission is set to be rejected by the EU Parliament today, plunging the EU into institutional crisis.

Two Irish MEPs have vowed to oppose the appointment of the new European Commission tomorrow due to the inclusion of an Italian politician with controversial views on homosexuality, marriage and immigration.

Incoming European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso today warned the European Parliament that it would throw the European Union into an unprecedented crisis if it rejects his 24-member team.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso will make one last appeal to Euro MPs tomorrow to approve his new Commission team and avoid a political crisis.

BY backing his controversial nominee as justice commissioner, despite his sexist and homophobic remarks, EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hopes to tough it out.

RÓNÁN MULLEN outdoes himself (Irish Examiner, October 20) in his article howling about the refusal of the European Parliament to back the appointment of Rocco Buttiglione as European Commissioner for Civil Liberties and Home Affairs.

Europe’s outgoing Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs tonight backed anti-gay Italian Rocco Buttiglione to take over the job as planned and not step down because of his personal views.

A compromise deal to save the next European Commission was today rejected by European parliament leaders who want an anti-gay member of the new team axed.

Key European Parliament leaders threatened to veto incoming European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso’s 24 member team today unless he removes a conservative Italian nominee for justice commissioner.

“IS it now a crime to be a conservative in Europe?” asked RTÉ’s Áine Lawlor last week. We must wait a week or more before we know the answer to that.

Europe Correspondent Ann Cahill profiles the controversial Italian, Rocco Buttiglione.

INCOMING EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso yesterday insisted he has full confidence in all the new commissioners.

Italy's blunder-prone Rocco Buttiglione was under increasing pressure today to spare himself the sack and step down voluntarily from his new job as European Commissioner in charge of civil liberties.

AN ITALIAN minister nominated for a top job at the European Commission is in trouble for saying single mothers “aren’t very good”, only days after coming under fire for calling homosexuality a sin.

An Italian minister nominated for a top job at the European Commission is in trouble for saying single mothers “aren’t very good”, only days after coming under fire for calling homosexuality a sin.

The Italian European Commissioner-designate whose views on homosexuality have caused a major political row today hinted that he might “renounce” his new job.

It was stalemate in Brussels tonight in the battle of political wills over the anti-gay commissioner.

Italy’s anti-gay nominee to be the EU’s justice and home affairs commissioner said that he was discriminated against as a Catholic and as a member of Premier Berlusconi’ centre-right government when a European Parliament committee voted against his appointment.

One of Europe’s new Commissioners was under growing pressure to step down tonight for describing homosexuality as a “sin”.

PARMALAT Finanziaria SpA founder Calisto Tanzi is being probed for allegedly misappropriating about €800 million ($1 billion) from the company, a person familiar with the investigation said.