BRUSSELS, October 13, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A European Union panel has refused to endorse the nomination of Italian Rocco Buttiglione as commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, because of his conservative values. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso named Buttiglione to the post, along with 24 other new commissioners, in August.
During his confirmation hearing last week, Buttiglione said that homosexuality is sinful. “Many things may be considered immoral which should not be prohibited . . . I may think that homosexuality is a sin, this has no effect on politics unless I say that homosexuality is a crime,” he said, as reported by Reuters news. The committee voted narrowly, 27-26, to reject Buttiglione’s nomination. According to EU rules, members must either endorse all 25 new commissioners, or reject them all—a nominee can not be singled out. Barroso faces the challenge of either rejecting Buttiglione, leaving him in the current post, or re-assigning him to another commission. According to the Associated Press, ministers pushed Buttiglione to reveal his conservative views in his hearing. EU Green Party and Socialist members later claimed that Buttiglione would have trouble drafting anti-discrimination laws given his views on homosexuality. In 2001, as Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s new government took power, Minister Buttiglione proposed pro-life legislation which aimed at encouraging women in crisis pregnancies to decide against abortion. Read the related LifeSiteNews.com reports: Pro-Lifer Appointed European Union Commissioner in charge of Justice Department https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/aug/040812.html EU Socialists Seek to Bar New Commissioner for Christian take on Homosexuality https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/oct/04100607.html tv