Cagey Berlusconi holds key to ending Commission crisis

By Martin Banks and David Cronin

Date: 04/11/04

Leaders of the biggest political groups in the European Parliament have predicted that the institutional crisis over the incoming European Commission could be resolved within a fortnight.

But this depends on Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, nominating a replacement to Rocco Buttiglione as his country's representative to the EU executive. Berlusconi, who was on a visit to Moscow yesterday (3 November), has played his cards close to his chest after his nominee withdrew from the future Commission last weekend.

There is speculation that Berlusconi may name a nominee when he arrives in Brussels today for the EU summit. Foreign Minister Franco Frattini is widely tipped to secure the nomination. But his removal from government would further complicate an already difficult cabinet reshuffle and therefore Letizia Moratti, minister for education, or Giulio Tremonti, former finance minister, are also in the race.

Apart from Buttiglione, who outraged MEPs with remarks on gays and single mothers, the only other casualty so far of José Manuel Barroso's original selection is Latvia's Ingrida Udre. Indulis Emsis, the outgoing premier in Riga, has agreed to replace her with former minister and ambassador Andris Piebalgs. Piebalgs was lined up to be Udre's chef de cabinet. Rather than stepping in to the taxation dossier earmarked for Udre, he is being touted for the energy post.

Hungarian Socialist László Kovács was initially awarded that portfolio. But after showing a poor grasp of the subject at his Parliamentary hearing, he may be dumped or moved to another post in the new team.

Many members of the European People's Party (EPP-ED), Parliament's largest group, are now calling for Kovács' head.

Martin Schulz, leader of the Socialists, has conceded that Kovács may be better-suited to a post other than energy but is resisting attempts to have him removed from the Commission.

"The EPP may be demanding that he is withdrawn but we will not accept that because there is a difference between his candidacy and that of Buttiglione," said Schulz.

The Socialists also want Neelie Kroes, a Dutch Liberal whose business past has given rise to several conflict of interests concerns, to lose her competition portfolio. But Liberal deputies want her retained in the Barroso team. "We are not saying Kroes should be ditched, just moved to another post," said Schulz.

Both Schulz and Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), said that the current impasse could be swiftly broken.

If Barroso is able to present the new team at this week's summit, the Parliament could organise confirmation hearings for the new or reshuffled nominees in the next two weeks. The revised Commission could then be put to a vote of the assembly on 17 November.

"The whole thing, though, could hinge on whether Silvio Berlusconi and the Italian parliament is able and willing to quickly choose a replacement for Buttiglione," said Watson. Otherwise, he added, any solution would have to wait until December.

A spokesman for the EPP-ED said that, despite the removal of Buttiglione and Udre, Barroso still had "unfinished business" to deal with.

"We are still waiting for him to come back with a complete and acceptable package," he said. "There are a number of people, including Kovács, who one would expect to be reassigned to other posts. This is not a question of a 'tit-for-tat' response to Buttiglione. The fact is that other commissioners-designate also had a bad or indifferent hearing."

Article speculates on the changes incoming European Commission President Barroso will make to the suggested team of Commissioners he had withdrawn in order to avoid defeat in the decisive vote at the European Parliament.