Rome (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Italy has designated its Europe minister, Raffaele Fitto, to be its next European commissioner.
What Does Raffaele Fitto’s Nomination Mean for Italy’s Influence in the European Commission?
Signalling Fitto’s activity to Brussels would be a loss for the management in Rome, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, expressed the decision was “painful” for her, and “also for him, and the government, but it is a crucial choice.” The 55-year-old is one of Meloni’s few partners who is well-known in EU power halls and was tipped as the favoured for the commissioner job for months.
How Will Fitto’s Experience Shape His Role as European Commissioner?
An ex-lawmaker for the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), Fitto is noticed as a bridge-builder who can assist Italy secure an influential portfolio in the next Commission. Each member country gets one option but it’s up to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to determine which job they do.
Why Was Fitto Considered the Favored Candidate for Italy’s Commissioner Role?
Meloni briefed the cabinet that she would be intercommunicating Fitto’s name as Italy’s candidate for European commissioner to von der Leyen within the day. According to a government official, Meloni informed the cabinet it was a “delicate and very important choice for us and for Italy in the years to come.” “We have chosen a person who has a great deal of experience and who has been able to manage the responsibilities entrusted to him in this government with excellent results,” Meloni stated.
“Although I see many Italians rooting against an appropriate role for our nation, I have no reason to believe that this role will not be recognized,” she continued. Of the EU’s 27 nations, only Belgium is still to reveal its choice.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani voiced hopes that Fitto could become an “executive vice president” of the EU Commission, which would give him direction over several portfolios.
Von der Leyen, who commands from the EPP, is expected to station jobs by Sept. 11. The final hurdle is a confirmatory vote by the European Parliament that is predicted to happen between the end of September and early October.
The Italian government seeks to have control over EU regional policy ― although it will have to contend with the governments of Greece and Bulgaria to get that position ― and the EU’s post-pandemic cash pot, which is worth €724 billion and of which Italy is the main inheritor.
