Italian
After days of tensions and crossed vetoes between Socialists and Populars, the political forces of the European Parliament have finally reached an agreement to approve the new European Commission. An agreement that marks the end of an all-political standoff, particularly linked to the nominations of Raffaele Fitto and Teresa Ribera, respectively candidates from Italy and Spain for the role of Vice President.
BRUSSELS. The hearings of the designated commissioners, concluded on November 12, had stalled due to the disagreements between the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Socialists and Democrats (S&D). The Socialists had rejected the appointment of Fitto, a member of Fratelli d’Italia and part of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, a political area outside the European parliamentary majority. On the contrary, the EPP had opposed the appointment of Teresa Ribera, a prominent figure of the Spanish Socialist Party and Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for Ecological Transition in the Sánchez government.
At the root of the conflict were not only ideological differences, but also national rivalries and mutual accusations. In Spain, Ribera has been at the center of controversies over the management of floods in the Valencian Community, governed by the Popular Party. For its part, the EPP feared that Fitto could legitimize the Conservatives as a moderate political force, an image that Brothers of Italy and its group are trying to build at the European level.
The agreement was reached on Wednesday evening, with a deal that involves the mutual approval of the two candidates. A sort of non-belligerence pact: the Spanish Socialists have accepted Fitto, while the Popular Party has given the green light to Ribera. The ratification vote, scheduled for November 27 in the European Parliament, should be a formality, paving the way for the installation of the new Commission on December 1, thus respecting the timeline set after the European elections in June.
The new Commission will have six Vice-Presidents, chosen to represent the balance between the main parliamentary groups: Socialists, People’s Party, and Liberals of the Renew Europe group.
Ursula von der Leyen seems to have aimed for this appointment to maintain good relations with Giorgia Meloni, President of the Italian Council, and strengthen a strategic alliance with one of the most influential leaders of the European right.
In addition to Fitto and Ribera, the vice-presidents include Kaja Kallas (Estonia), Stéphane Séjourné (France), Henna Virkkunen (Finland), and Roxana Mînzatu (Romania), in a lineup that seeks to reflect the geographical and political diversity of the Union.
This compromise highlights how complex the balances within the European Parliament are, where cross-party alliances are necessary to govern. The new Commission will face crucial challenges: from ecological transition to geopolitical tensions, passing through post-pandemic economic management. However, the agreement reached demonstrates that, albeit with difficulty, Europe is still capable of finding political synthesis.
