The representatives of Verdi, S & D e Renew, for the umpteenth time, are demonstrating their complete opposition to entrusting one of the six vice-presidencies of the new EU Commission to Raffaella Fitto, coming from the far-right ECR of Giorgia Meloni, which has already expressed vote against to the Ursula von der Leyen's new Commission.
Fitto, what Verdi, Pse and Renew are doing
The co-president of the Greens, the Dutch Lower Eickhout, questioned about Fitto, made it clear that the Greens will do everything to "have him demoted from executive vice president to ordinary commissioner". Fitto's hearing will most likely take place on November 12, in the final phase of the hearings, although before the socialist, the Spanish Ribeira. It will be done by the commissions on regional cohesion and structural reforms.
Its Introduction to the program that it intends to achieve will almost certainly be expressed in English while for the answers to the questions of the parliamentarians it could use the Italian. To get the green light, Fitto (like all the other candidates) will need a two-thirds majority in committee. If the two-thirds majority is not reached twice, then a simple majority vote is foreseen. In the regional affairs committee, which is responsible for examining Fitto, the far-right forces ECR plus the EPP do not reach a simple majority.
Fitto, here's who could defend him: the EPP
If the Greens were to convince S&D and Renew to block Fitto, it would trigger a domino effect with the ECR trying to reject the other vice-presidents. According to Eickhout, however, all the vice-presidents would be able to obtain a majority but "the only one who can fear not passing is Fitto". The EPP could take care of defending Fitto who could rally in defense of the Italian minister who over time has gained much sympathy in the ranks of the populars. The EPP is treating Fitto almost as one of their own.
The protective shield that is being erected around him is partly explained by the fact that he is a former politician who was already a member of the EPP even though in 20 years he seems to have changed about 10 parties. In his written response to Brussels to dispel any doubts about possible conflicts of interest Fitto never mentions his recent membership in Fratelli d'Italia ma makes public his ancient European faith cultivated in militancy within the old Christian Democracy. He even mentions his “absolute” commitment to gender equality. Fitto’s current political affiliation, in reality, would tie him much more to the Polish Law and Justice party, a sworn enemy of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and a leading figure in the EPP.
Fitto and eyes fixed on the "sanitary cordon"
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the liberal groups of Renew Europe, however, have all eyes on the ways in which the EPP will respect that "sanitary cord” for the non-collaboration with the far right of Ecr which is the basis of an informal agreement for the green light to von der Leyen.
In recent months, in fact, the EPP has changed the agenda of the European Parliament in some cases with the support of the far-right ECR and the far-right Patriots for Europe. S&D, Renew and the Greens have expressed their disappointment at the violation of the “cordon sanitaire.” According to them, it is one thing to agree with the far-right on small agenda items, but another to reach agreements on detailed dossiers. The approach of the EPP president Manfred weber of "two ovens” which calls for leaning left when necessary and right when needed “will fall apart when it comes to legislative work.”
