Barroso battles to prevent EC crisis

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.

At a joint meeting, Socialists, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Communists were to demand that Barroso reshuffle his team because of Italian Rocco Buttiglione’s contentious remarks about gays, marriage and single mothers.