The parliamentary hearing for Raffaele Fitto, nominee for EU Commission Executive Vice President for Reforms and Cohesion, went just as anticipated, with left-leaning members fiercely opposing his nomination.
Fitto faced repeated attacks from leftist parties, notably the Social Democrats (S&D), some of whom labeled him a “neo-fascist,” simply because they couldn’t accept a conservative in a high-level EU role. The left-wing opposition even threatened to derail the Commission’s entire formation unless President-elect Ursula von der Leyen withdrew his nomination. However, von der Leyen, attempting to ease tensions with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, stood firm, counting on support from her EPP and right-wing allies to secure Fitto’s position.
In a twist, group coordinators postponed the vote on Fitto, suggesting they may want to assess all six candidates before making a decision. This delay could be part of a broader strategy by left-wing groups to reject Fitto while avoiding retaliation from the EPP in future votes.
During his testimony, Fitto opened by clarifying that his commitment lies with Europe, not any one party or nation. Yet, Spanish Green MEP Ana Miranda Paz took aim, accusing him of aligning with “neo-fascists” and questioning his suitability due to his ties with the Brothers of Italy (FdI), Italy’s conservative ruling party. In response, Fitto retorted sarcastically, “That was very constructive and helpful,” drawing applause from conservatives in the room.
Further attacks followed from other left-leaning members, like German Green MEP Rasmus Andresen, who criticized Fitto for not distancing himself from certain FdI elements. Hungarian Socialist MEP Klára Dobrev accused him of siding with Poland and Hungary during their clashes with the EU over rule-of-law issues, hinting Italy could face similar treatment under Meloni’s leadership.
Fitto remained composed, reiterating that he intends to act in Europe’s interests and that decisions are made collaboratively within the Commission. Conservative MEPs jumped to his defense, with Hungarian MEP Tamás Deutsch praising Fitto for his “calm and objective” responses in the face of “disgusting attacks.”
In his closing remarks, Fitto called for unity and an end to partisan division, highlighting that Europe’s pressing issues demand a focus on shared interests over political squabbles. Recalling his past bipartisan support as an MEP, he urged his colleagues to prioritize stability and cooperation, stressing that Europe’s future depends on moving beyond partisan interests
