Italy named its EU affairs minister, Raffaele Fitto, as its next Commissioner right as the clock for nominating European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s new team was about to run out.

While Fitto might seem like a good fit to serve as Commissioner, he still has a long way to go before his appointment is confirmed — and the path is not without obstacles.

As a 55-year-old career politician and far-right Brothers of Italy party member, Fitto does not lack experience, having held high positions in EU institutions and the Italian government.

Most importantly, the minister for EU affairs, the South, cohesion policies and NRRP — and the former minister of regional affairs and long-time MEP — also has the backing of his party.

“I think he will end up being the most qualified among the other Commissioners,” Brothers of Italy senator Lucio Malan told Euronews.

“Fitto is extremely prepared for the role. He has the experience and the skills but he has also achieved great result these past few years having to manage recovery funds.”

Not an easy ride for Fitto?

However, things might not go so smoothly for Fitto once in Brussels.

The approval process for new Commissioners can be challenging and includes screenings and hearings.

“Liberals already said that they are not in favour of his candidacy,” political analyst Giovanni Orsina tells Euronews, “and it remains to be seen how much support Fitto will get from the (centre-right) EPP also because the Socialists and the Liberals will need the support of the EPP.”

“So if the EPP stands by him, his chances of being appointed will be greater. Anything can happen and it’s not an easy contest,” he added.

If he passes the test, Premier Giorgia Meloni’s government can benefit from Fitto’s appointment, Orsina said.

“Between June and July, Meloni was heavily criticised by opposition parties because they had accused her of isolating Italy,” he recalled.

“But if today she manages to secure an executive vice presidency for Italy, she can challenge opposition forces by showing that she played her cards well.”

But there’s another reading of Fitto’s possible appointment, which, according to Orsina, is directly linked to the Italian PM’s decision to withdraw support for von der Leyen’s re-election as European Commission president.

“Her decision at the time was part of an agreement with the EPP. If Fitto is appointed, it shows that it’s all part of the same deal,” said Orsina.

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A capable survivor

However, if the relations between Meloni and VDL are not on the mend, Fitto might still have a rough path ahead and some hard questions to answer. As a Commissioner who will likely get a big economy-related portfolio, Fitto’s — and Meloni’s — opponents in the Parliament might choose to grill him over his past.

In 2006, as former president of the Adriatic coast region of Apulia, Fitto was accused of partaking in bribery ahead of the 2005 regional elections. However, judges have since cleared him of any wrongdoing, most recently at the Supreme Court of Cassation in 2017.

Similarly, in 2009, Fitto was again brought before a judge in connection to shorting the stocks of Cedis, a trading company — a move that led to its eventual bankruptcy. The charges didn’t stick this time either, and he was acquitted in 2012.

Yet, Fitto is a capable survivor, hardened by decades of navigating Italy’s famously flip-flopping-prone and intrigue-riddled politics.

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Although he began his career back in the 1990s as a member of Christian Democracy — a now-defunct ruling party mainstay — Fitto came to prominence after he pledged his allegiance to Forza Italia and its populist firebrand Silvio Berlusconi.

Berlusconi, who revelled in discovering up-and-coming politicians and was responsible for bringing the likes of Meloni and far-right Lega’s Matteo Salvini to the fore, named him his minister for the regions, propelling his career upward since.

Meloni’s trust in Fitto is also quite clear. As her party’s MEP, he co-presided over the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament and became one of her first cabinet picks following her election victory in 2022.

The ball is in VDL’s court

Many agree that if Fitto is given the executive vice-president portfolio in charge of the economy and post-pandemic recovery, this would be a significant victory for Italy.

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According to Gianni Pittella, former vice-president of the European Parliament and S&D MEP, “the vice-presidency role would allow Fitto to cover a wide range of issues and if he is in charge of the pandemic recovery funds.

“It would give him the opportunity to look after Italy, which is the largest recipient of the Next Generation EU funds,” Pittela, now mayor of Lauria, told Euronews.

“If he is also given responsibility of the economy (portfolio), he would oversee the stability pact, which is crucial for Rome.”

As Orsina pointed out, the economy portfolio is even more relevant to Meloni’s government, given that the EU has placed Italy under the excessive deficit procedure. For now, all eyes are on der Leyen, who will soon present her team and their portfolios.

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