Fitto will be the executive vice president for cohesion and reforms, von der Leyen told a press conference.
The six top roles will go to Spain’s Teresa Ribera, Finland’s Henna Virkkunen, France’s Stéphane Séjourné, Estonia’s Kaja Kallas, Romania’s Roxana Minzatu and Fitto.
Fitto is Italy’s European affairs minister and is responsible for the implementation of the EU-funded post-Covid National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
“Raffaele Fitto will be responsible for policies of cohesion, regional development and cities,” von der Leyen told the press conference.
“He will bring his great experience to modernise and strengthen investments for cohesion and policies of growth.
“Italy is a very important country, and this must also be reflected in our choice.
“The European Parliament has 14 vice presidents, two are from ECR,” she went on to say, referring to the conservative group to which Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, of which Fitto is a heavyweight, belongs.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday congratulated Fitto for his appointment.
“[It’s] an important recognition that confirms the regained central role of our nation within the EU,” she said.
“Italy finally returns to be a protagonist in Europe,” Meloni wrote on social media.
“We are certain you will fulfil your role extremely well in the interest of Europe and Italy,” added the PM.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote on X that the “appointment of Raffaele Fitto as executive vice president of the EU Commission is excellent news…”
“[His appointment] confirms the credibility and the role of relevance that Italy undertakes and will continue to have in Europe!”, hailing it as a symbol of the “government’s success”.
ANSA
