Italian conservative and papal confidant Rocco Buttiglione, under attack for calling homosexuality sinful, said Saturday he was abandoning efforts to become European Union justice commissioner, a bid that has prevented the new EU executive from taking office.
Buttiglione defended his religious beliefs, however, insisting they would never have colored his EU politics.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi said late Friday that Buttiglione would remain as European affairs minister in his conservative government.
With the new commission virtually doomed to rejection by the European Parliament if Buttiglione remained part of it, the new EU top executive, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, earlier in the week withdrew all 24 nominees to buy time for a way out of the impasse.
The European Parliament must approve all 24 commissioners before the commission, which runs the EU's everyday affairs, can begin work. The commission was due to have taken office today.
During a confirmation hearing earlier this month, Buttiglione told the justice and home affairs committee that he considered homosexuality "a sin" and that marriage existed "to allow women to have children and to have the protection of a male."
"I am ready to step aside, to resign [from the bid], to favor the path of the Barroso commission, which I wish every success," Buttiglione told a news conference Saturday.
The flap over Buttiglione provided an embarrassing backdrop to elaborate EU ceremonies Friday in Rome for the signing of the union's proposed new constitution.
Buttiglione's decision was greeted with "great respect" by the head of the Christian Democrats in the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering, who has supported the Italian.
Yet, Buttiglione's stepping aside "did not signify that all difficulties with regard to the appointment of a new commission has been solved," Poettering said.
He singled out Laszlo Kovacs, Hungary's former foreign minister, tapped for energy commissioner; Dutch businesswoman Neelie Kroes, slated for competition commissioner; and Latvia's Igrida Udride, up for the budget post. Poettering said those three "lacked the necessary competence."
Barroso will now have to discuss with the conservatives in the European Parliament whether they will accept a replacement only for Buttiglione, or whether they will continue to insist on other changes.
Berlusconi said he realized the Buttiglione bid had reached the end of the line after talks Friday with Barroso and other EU leaders.
Buttiglione depicted himself as a victim of an "ably orchestrated campaign" because of his conservative views, but when pressed, didn't elaborate.
"I have the right to think that homosexuality is a sin, but this has no effect on politics because in politics, the principle of nondiscrimination prevails, and the state has no right to stick its nose in these situations," Buttiglione told reporters.
"I know that I didn't introduce into the political sphere the concept of sin, which belongs to another sphere, that of religion and philosophy," Buttiglione said.
Italian news agency ANSA quoted Labor Minister Roberto Maroni as expressing little sympathy for his Cabinet mate. "To say that it's all the fault of a plot, of a campaign by the European press against him, frankly, seems unfair to me. I'd say that's Buttiglione's version of it," Maroni said.
Italian state radio said Italy might tap Foreign Minister Franco Frattini for the commission post. If so, the Foreign Ministry slot might be filled by Deputy Premier Gianfranco Fini, a right-wing leader who has been maneuvering for more clout in the coalition.
PRECARIOUS RELATIONS: Commentators in Saudi Arabia accuse the UAE of growing too bold, backing forces at odds with Saudi interests in various conflicts A Saudi Arabian media campaign targeting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has deepened the Gulf’s worst row in years, stoking fears of a damaging fall-out in the financial heart of the Middle East. Fiery accusations of rights abuses and betrayal have circulated for weeks in state-run and social media after a brief conflict in Yemen, where Saudi airstrikes quelled an offensive by UAE-backed separatists. The United Arab Emirates is “investing in chaos and supporting secessionists” from Libya to Yemen and the Horn of Africa, Saudi Arabia’s al-Ekhbariya TV charged in a report this week. Such invective has been unheard of
US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Canada that if it concludes a trade deal with China, he would impose a 100 percent tariff on all goods coming over the border. Relations between the US and its northern neighbor have been rocky since Trump returned to the White House a year ago, with spats over trade and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney decrying a “rupture” in the US-led global order. During a visit to Beijing earlier this month, Carney hailed a “new strategic partnership” with China that resulted in a “preliminary, but landmark trade agreement” to reduce tariffs — but
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) purge of his most senior general is driven by his effort to both secure “total control” of his military and root out corruption, US Ambassador to China David Perdue said told Bloomberg Television yesterday. The probe into Zhang Youxia (張又俠), Xi’s second-in-command, announced over the weekend, is a “major development,” Perdue said, citing the family connections the vice chair of China’s apex military commission has with Xi. Chinese authorities said Zhang was being investigated for suspected serious discipline and law violations, without disclosing further details. “I take him at his word that there’s a corruption effort under
China executed 11 people linked to Myanmar criminal gangs, including “key members” of telecom scam operations, state media reported yesterday, as Beijing toughens its response to the sprawling, transnational industry. Fraud compounds where scammers lure Internet users into fake romantic relationships and cryptocurrency investments have flourished across Southeast Asia, including in Myanmar. Initially largely targeting Chinese speakers, the criminal groups behind the compounds have expanded operations into multiple languages to steal from victims around the world. Those conducting the scams are sometimes willing con artists, and other times trafficked foreign nationals forced to work. In the past few years, Beijing has stepped up cooperation
RSS