Anti-gays row commissioner 'may stand down'

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

Earlier this week, centre-left Euro-MPs rejected centre-right staunch Catholic Rocco Buttiglione as unsuitable to take charge, as planned, of EU civil liberties and justice policy from next month, on account of his view that homosexuality is a sin.

Many want him given a less sensitive job – and most say he should be rejected altogether as one of the new 25-strong Commission team led by Portugal’s Jose Manuel Barroso.

Mr Barroso had promised to take MEPs’ views into account if they opposed any of his nominated Commissioners. But he has fuelled the row by insisting Mr Buttiglione is entitled to his views on homosexuality or anything else and should not be discriminated against.

Today, Mr Buttiglione defended his views.

Asked whether his position might endanger the endorsement of the whole Commission by the European Parliament, he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “This is a matter of speculation… I don’t know if I would have the faith to have my head cut off for my beliefs, but I have enough faith to renounce a job in the Commission if need be.”

Asked if he meant that he was prepared to stand down, Mr Buttiglione said: “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.

“I have said what I had to say and to do. Now the question is entirely out of my hands. It is in the hands of the European Parliament, and of course in the hands of Mr Barroso.”

Mr Buttiglione was pressed on whether his views were offensive to many people in the modern world.

He said: “I think that many people are sinners, including myself, and I don’t think them to be worse sinners than myself. It is a theological issue, and it should not interfere with our policies.”

Mr Buttiglione said he had not spoken to Mr Barroso. He declined to say whether he had spoken to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi about the issue.