Fitto: Will FdI vote von der Leyen? It will depend on the programme

Fratelli d'Italia will vote in the EU parliament on the commission according to the programme. This was said by Raffaele Fitto, Minister for European Affairs, Cohesion Policies and the Pnrr, on the sidelines of the 'Forum in masseria'. "There is no orientation yet, it is a matter of understanding the evolution that 18 July will bring us and of listening to what Ursula von der Leyen will say on the merits of her programme," Fitto said, explaining that "it is not that we vote on the basis of likes or dislikes, we vote on the basis of a programme, so it is a matter of listening in the confrontation that will take place and in the presentation of the programme for the next five years and on the basis of that we will decide."

Does the future birth of the Group of European Patriots risk favouring the Conservatives who, after the farewell of the more sovereignist fringes, could be freer to vote for an eventual encore of Ursula von der Leyen at the EU Commission? "No, because each national delegation will decide how to vote on the presidency of the Commission, there is no group constraint". This is the answer given by the Minister for European Affairs, Raffaele Fitto, on the sidelines of the 'Forum in masseria' being held in Manduria (Taranto).

"At the moment (as Conservatives, ed.) we are the third largest parliamentary group in Europe. We remain one of the most important groups, which includes the Italian premier, the Czech premier and probably a third prime minister, namely the Belgian-Flemish prime minister. Having said that, it is not one MEP more or less that can make a difference, and especially in the course of the parliamentary term at European level, we have seen the conformation of the groups change with accessions and defections. It is a normal fact that I would not emphasise,' added Fitto, on the hypothesis that the Conservative group will be ousted, numerically, by the Patriots of Europe in the Strasbourg Parliament, after the defection of Vox, the Spanish ultra-right party that decided to join the Patriots group, sponsored by Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban.

Asked if his name could be put forward as 'heavyweight' Italian commissioner, the Minister for European Affairs put his hands forward: 'I have some very important dossiers on which I am focused, then it will be the President of the Council and the government who will make the assessment at the appropriate time'. And to those who asked him whether Italy will ask for a vice-presidency of the Commission, Fitto added that 'this is an issue that we will see in the composition of the commission. Italy is a great country, it is a founding country and will have an important role'.

'Our position is clear on Ukraine'. This is how the Minister for European Affairs responded to those who asked him for a comment on the announced French disengagement in Kiev (expressed by Marine Le Pen).