Ursula von der Leyen is trying to push through Giorgia Meloni’s party colleague Raffaele Fitto as executive vice president of the EU Commission. But in the end, it is not her who makes the decision.
Raffaele Fitto will be the first politician from the right-wing Italian party Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) to be appointed as one of the Vice Presidents of the EU Commission. This was announced by the President responsible, Ursula von der Leyen, in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. Fitto was previously Minister for Europe in the government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and is now to become Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms. This would make him responsible for the European Social Fund and a fund for regional development, among other things. The post is also intended to provide better support for the poorest regions of the EU.
Political risk for von der Leyen
The appointment of Fitto poses a political risk for von der Leyen, as the majority of MPs in Parliament must confirm the new Commission. In the past, some unpopular candidates have already been rejected. The Italian is considered controversial because he belongs to Meloni’s right-wing party. In recent days, opposition to the appointment has been heard from the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals. It is a dangerous shift to the right.
Support from conservative circles
But there are other voices too. In Brussels, many people see Fitto as moderate and, above all, pro-European. EPP leader Manfred Weber (CSU) even described him as a “bridge builder”. He is without a doubt ideally suited to do the job, he told the German Press Agency. The Commission must be a Commission that brings Europe together. And that is why he is actively campaigning for Italy to be well represented in the Commission.
The EU Commission, with a staff of around 32,000, proposes laws for the community of states and monitors compliance with EU law. If von der Leyen has her way, the new Commission will begin its work on November 1. It remains to be seen whether this will work.
Goal of gender equality probably missed
For weeks, von der Leyen worked intensively on putting together her personnel package. There was a lot of speculation on social media and behind closed doors about who would take on which position.
When making the appointments, von der Leyen also wanted to ensure that there was a similar ratio of men to women in the Commission’s leadership. This goal has probably been missed. At the moment it looks as if the next Commission will have more men than women, as numerous heads of state and government did not follow von der Leyen’s request to standardize on one woman and one man.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
