In a recent move by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Raffaele Fitto, a member of Italy’s hard-right party, has been appointed as one of the six executive vice-presidents of the new European Commission. This decision has not been well-received by Socialists, Liberals, and Greens who see Fitto’s appointment as a move that could push the Commission further to the right. While the Socialists and Democrats and EU Liberals do not see this as a reason to withdraw their support for von der Leyen’s commission, Fitto will still need to secure approval from MEPs in order to assume his new role.
Iratxe García of the Socialists criticized von der Leyen’s decision, stating that it does not meet the demands of their political family. The appointment of Fitto, who is from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), has raised concerns about his competence, independence from national member states, and pro-European commitment. The Liberals, led by Valérie Hayer, have also expressed reservations about Fitto’s appointment and will be making real demands on him during the upcoming hearings. The Greens/EFA group, on the other hand, believes that this move could shift the Commission further to the right and have expressed doubts about other commissioner appointments from countries like Hungary and Austria.
While some have commended von der Leyen for achieving gender balance in her new team, others have criticized her for creating what they see as the most right-wing European Commission ever. The Left group, in particular, is not pleased with Fitto’s appointment as an executive vice-president. French MEP Manon Aubry, co-leader of the left-wing party, called it unprecedented and indicative of the current political orientation of the Commission. As the next steps involve the European Parliament preparing for commissioner hearings, it remains to be seen whether Fitto and other candidates will be able to secure the necessary approval from MEPs.
In the upcoming commissioner hearings, each candidate will need to secure at least a two-thirds majority in the relevant European Parliament committee(s) in order to be approved for their new roles. This process is expected to be challenging for some candidates, including Fitto, who will likely face scrutiny from MEPs regarding his qualifications and commitments to the European Union. While von der Leyen has emphasized the importance of gender balance and diversity in her new team, critics remain concerned about the overall political orientation of the Commission and the potential impact that appointments like Fitto’s could have on its policies and decision-making processes.
As von der Leyen’s new dream team for the next five years takes shape, concerns have been raised by moderates in the European Parliament about the appointment of Raffaele Fitto as an executive vice-president. Despite the opposition from Socialists, Liberals, and Greens, Fitto’s fate will ultimately be determined by the approval of MEPs during the upcoming commissioner hearings. The decision to appoint Fitto, a member of Italy’s hard-right party, has sparked a debate about the political orientation of the new European Commission and the potential implications for its policies and decision-making processes. It remains to be seen how MEPs will evaluate Fitto and other candidates as they undergo the approval process for their new roles in the Commission.
