The evaluation hearing for Fitto was postponed until after all the hearings wrap tonight, but there is no official date on when the decisive meeting will take place.
The Socialists would like to strip Fitto of his title as Commission vice president, leaving him as a simple commissioner for cohesion. But they fear that could expose their own vice president, Teresa Ribera, to retaliation from the center-right European People’s Party.
The outcome of this political fight is still to be decided.
2. “I’m not Meloni’s man”
Fitto hammered home the point that he will serve European, as opposed to Italian interests. Responding to questions on his ties to Meloni, he highlighted his credentials as a former Christian Democrat politician — including with an ode to EU founding father Alcide De Gasperi, to whom the hearing room was dedicated — and said he’ll put aside his party-political interests.
Despite his composure, the performance is unlikely to allay concerns from socialists, Greens and liberal lawmakers, who want to claim his scalp for political reasons.