Buttiglione wants to give Barroso 'free hand'

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.

Rocco Buttiglione said he wanted to give a free hand to incoming Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in forming a new executive. He made the announcement at a news conference a few hours after Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi indicated he was withdrawing Buttiglione as Italy’s nominee for the justice commissioner post.

“I am ready to step aside to favour the path of the Barroso commission, which I wish every success,” Buttiglione said, reading a statement.

Berlusconi said last night that he would likely find another nominee to replace Buttiglione for the EU post, while Buttiglione would retain his current post as Italy’s minister for European affairs.

Berlusconi said the decision was taken after he met Barroso and other European leaders, who were in Rome to sign the EU’s first constitution.

A committee in the European Parliament earlier this month objected to Buttiglione’s nomination for the EU justice post because of his conservative views.

Buttiglione, a Catholic who is a confidant of Pope John Paul II, drew outrage when he told his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament that homosexuality is a sin and that the function of marriage was to provide women with the protection of men.

“I may think that homosexuality is a sin, but politics doesn’t have to get involved in that,” Buttiglione told reporters.

He described himself as a victim of an “ably-orchestrated campaign” because of his conservative views.

Under EU guidelines, the Parliament cannot vote out individual nominees for the 25-seat executive Commission, but must vote on the group as a whole. Faced with an almost certain rejection, Barroso on Wednesday withdrew the entire Commission to allow more time for a solution.

The new Commission was to have taken office on Monday. The executive arm of the EU runs the day-to-day business of the European Union and serves five-year terms.