Members of the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament said there are no “red lines but priorities” regarding Fitto as the potential appointee.
“We don’t understand why a government that has clearly said it wasn’t supporting Ursula von der Leyen could have a role like ours or that of members” of the EPP and Liberal groups, the sources noted.
“Von der Leyen is president thanks to pro-EU forces,” they added, saying “it’s not understandable, an executive vice president from ECR”, the conservative coalition to which Fitto’s party belongs.
“But we will be responsible.
“Fitto will have to prove to Parliament that he is pro-EU and will need to be prepared,” they added.
Fitto, a senior figure in Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, has been reported as the likely recipient of the key post of Economy Vice President.
This would put him in charge of overseeing the EU’s post-pandemic Recovery Fund.
The appointment would vindicate Meloni’s assertion that Italy will have an important post in the new EU executive despite FdI MEPs voting against von der Leyen in June’s EU elections.
Meloni was irked that the Conservative ECR group FdI belongs to and which she chairs was left out of the negotiations for the EU top jobs.
ANSA
