Parliament leaders order Barroso to shift Buttiglione

By Martin Banks

FOUR of the European Parliament's five biggest groups warn they will vote against the new Commission team next week unless Italy's designated commissioner is moved to another post or is stripped of his anti-discrimination role. This 'nuclear option' would provoke a constitutional crisis in the EU. The groups say that Commission president-elect José Manuel Barroso should make significant concessions over his choice of Rocco Buttiglione as the justice, freedom and security commissioner if his team is to be approved by the Parliament on 27 October in Strasbourg.

The 'get-tough' message will be delivered when group leaders meet Barroso in Brussels today (21 October).

The Socialists, Liberals, Greens and eurosceptics muster 367 votes, outnumbering the 268-strong centre-right European People's Party (EPP-ED), the only group that is backing Buttiglione.

Barroso initially declared his full confidence in Buttiglione despite the Italian's controversial remarks on women's rights, gays and on single mothers, and a vote by the Parliament's civil liberties committee to reject his appointment. But during a trip to Dublin on Monday (18 October) he seemed to be more cautious, saying that he could not make “any specific comment about a specific member of the Commission”. Martin Schulz, leader of the Socialist group, said: “A change in the portfolio responsibilities is the absolute minimum we expect.

“If Barroso fails to take action I will propose that the Socialist group vote against confirmation of the new Commission,” he added.

A Socialist source said that Buttiglione's failure to temper his language had made concessions from Barroso almost inevitable.

“Although this would involve loss of face, the alternative is to risk a defeat in Strasbourg.”

Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE), said that if Barroso “does nothing”, his group will vote against the whole Commission.

“Barroso cannot ignore the committee vote. If he wants to be sure of a majority he has to swap portfolios.”

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, joint leader of the Greens/European Free Alliance group, said that “Buttiglione is unacceptable as a justice commissioner”.

“Unless there is a reshuffle, or Barroso finds another commissioner from Italy, we shall vote against the Commission,” he warned.

Jens-Peter Bonde, from the eurosceptic Independence and Democracy group, said he expected his group would also vote against the Commission.

Support for Buttiglione came from EPP-ED leader Hans-Gert Pöttering, who said: “He proved himself both personally and professionally at his hearing.”

A senior EPP-ED source said that the party would not be averse to Barroso either stripping Buttiglione of the civil liberties aspects of his job, or giving additional undertakings to ensure that fundamental rights are safeguarded.

“The Socialists have boxed themselves into something of a corner which they might find difficult to get out of so everyone is looking to Barroso to make some sort of gesture.

“It might help if Barroso himself took on board some of his responsibilities, such as all anti-discrimination policy, or moves them to, say, the social affairs commissioner.”

MEPs have also criticised the appointment of competition commissioner designated Neelie Kroes and of László Kovács, a socialist described by the industry committee as “incompetent” as energy commissioner.

An EPP-ED spokesman denied that the party had targeted Kovács in retaliation for the attacks on Butttiglione.

Article reports that four of the European Parliament's five largest groups warned they would vote against the new European Commission team on 27 October 2004 unless Italy's designated commissioner was moved to another post or was stripped of his anti-discrimination role. The groups said that Commission president-elect José Manuel Barroso should make significant concessions over his choice of Rocco Buttiglione as the Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner if his team was to be approved by the European Parliament.