Socialists say Italian nominee to the European Commission must go

THE pressure on the Italian nominee to the European Commission grew last night as the Socialist group in the European Parliament threatened to vote against the entire new commission.

Rocco Buttiglione, a conservative Catholic and adviser to the Pope, has said he will abide by his conscience when deciding EU matters. His comments homosexuality was a sin and marriage a must for women to have children have angered many MEPs.

However commission president designate, Jose Manual Barroso, has defended his choice of Mr Buttiglione for the justice portfolio and appears to be ignoring the role of the parliament in the matter. They must approve the new commission at the end of the month but can only vote for or against the body as a whole and not individuals.

The leaders of the parliament’s political groups agreed on Wednesday to simply forward their comments on the new commissioners to Mr Barroso without comment. But yesterday the Socialists - goaded by Mr Barroso’s comments to the media, said the Italian must go.

Leader of the Socialists, Martin Schulz, said yesterday: “We expect that Mr Barroso will take on board our views when he meets with parliamentary leaders next week.

“A change in portfolio responsibilities regarding Mr Buttiglione is the absolute minimum we expect.” He threatened his group, the second largest in the parliament, would vote down the entire commission unless their views were respected.

Mr Buttiglione, who is also a member of the US neo-con thinktank American Enterprise Institute that influenced Mr Bush’s foreign policy, however has hinted he may quit the post first.

“I have enough faith to renounce a job in the commission if need be,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “There is no doubt, I think, it is better for the European Parliament and for Europe to have a man of conscience, but if I should be discriminated (against) because I am a Catholic, I prefer to remain a Catholic,” he said.