Strasbourg
Italian right-wing Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) politician Raffaele Fito has been appointed vice-president of the European Commission for the first time. The appointment was announced by President Ursula von der Leyen at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. Fito previously served as European Affairs Minister in the government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and will now become the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform. This means that he will be responsible for the European Social Fund and the Regional Development Fund, among other things. The post is also aimed at better supporting the poorest regions of the EU.
Political Risks for Von der Leyen
Fitto’s appointment poses a political risk for von der Leyen, as a majority of parliamentarians must approve the new commission. In the past, some undesirable candidates have already been rejected. The Italian is considered controversial because he belongs to Meloni’s right-wing party. In recent days, there have been voices opposing the appointment from the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals. It’s a dangerous move to the right.
Conservative support
But there are other voices. In Brussels, Fitto is seen by many as moderate and, above all, pro-European. EPP leader Manfred Weber (CSU) has described him as a “bridge builder”. He told German media that he was undoubtedly ideally suited to the job. The Commission should be a uniting body for Europe. That is why he is campaigning so aggressively for Italy to be well represented in the Commission.
The EU Commission, with about 32,000 staff, proposes laws for the national community and monitors compliance with EU law. If von der Leyen has his way, the new commission should start work on November 1. Whether that can work is yet to be seen.
Gender equality goals may have been missed
Von der Leyen has been working intensively for weeks to put together a personnel package, with much speculation on social media and behind closed doors about who will take what positions.
Von der Leyen wanted to make sure that the Commission leadership team had a similar ratio of men and women when making appointments. She probably missed the mark. The upcoming Commission will now likely have more men than women, as many heads of state and government have failed to comply with Von der Leyen’s call to standardize on one woman and one man.
notification: This report is part of an automated service of the German Press Agency (dpa), which operates under strict journalistic regulations. The AZ Online editorial team does not edit or check it. Please send questions or comments to Feedback@az-muenchen.de.
