Berlusconi holding up EU revamp

Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is delaying the planned reshuffle of the new EU executive according to incoming commission chief, José Manuel Barroso.

The Portuguese commission president elect is believed to have finalised his new line-up, but cannot propose any changes until Italy puts forward a replacement candidate for the withdrawn Rocco Buttiglione.

“We still don’t have the nomination of the Italian commissioner,” said Barroso on Thursday at a meeting of EU centre-right leaders outside Brussels.

And a commission spokeswoman told journalists that Barroso was near to a solution but couldn’t give any precise timing.

“The speed at which [Barroso] can do this depends on the speed at which the Italian government can formally present a new candidate,” said the spokeswoman.

The two front runners in the race to replace Buttiglione are foreign minister Franco Frattini and former economy minister Giulio Tremonti.

Frattini, a popular figure in Italy is the favourite to take over from Buttiglione, but finding someone to replace Frattini is proving to be a difficult task for Berlusconi.

The Italian premier must balance the views and expectations of his ruling coalition government, and cannot put forward a name to the EU executive until he completes his own cabinet reshuffle.

And without an Italian candidate, the incoming commission chief cannot announce his new team at this week’s two-day summit of EU leaders in Brussels.

Former education minister Letizia Moratti, could emerge as a compromise candidate for Berlusconi if he cannot broker an internal deal.

Moratti would also be looked on favourably by Barroso, as she would maintain his aim of having eight women in his line-up, following the withdrawal of Latvia’s Ingrida Udre.

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