EU Socialists stand against Catholic Justice Chief Nominee

Earlier this week, the nominee for the post of European Union’s Justice and Home Affairs commissioner, was rejected by the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) after Buttiglione publicly testified that homosexuality is a sin and gays should not be given special rights.

The nominee also said the aim of marriage was “to allow women to have children and to have the protection of a male”.

The European Parliament Socialist group yesterday also stated that they rejected Rocco Buttiglione for post of EU Justice Chief. Just as the other European Parliament leaders, they have failed to agree with Buttiglione’s conservative views on homosexuality and marriage. To José Manuel Barroso, the new European commission President, who insisted his choice to support Buttiglione, the Socialist group warned that MEPs would vote out his entire commission unless he changes his choice.

The European parliament’s Socialist group consists of 200 MEPs. Martin Schulz, the leader of the European parliament’s Socialist group, could influence a majority among the 732 MEPs for the move and a crisis may result in the EU.

Schulz demanded Barroso explain himself before parliament. He said, “If [Barroso] repeatedly shows me and the parliament the cold shoulder and there’s no change in the justice portfolio, I would recommend that my group reject him.”

If Buttiglione cannot justify himself reasonably in front of the Parliament, then that would mean the complete failure of the team led by Barroso, as EU laws do not allow the Parliament to accept or reject individual members of the commission but only a team.

Nevertheless, the rejected Justice Chief nominee Rocco Buttuglione still showed no compromise to his Catholic faith in face of the threat, according to his interview with the BBC Radio 4.

Buttiglione explained his statement “homosexuality is a sin”, “I think that many people are sinners, including myself, and I don’t think them to be worse sinners than myself. It is a theological issue, and it should not interfere with our policies.”

“There is no doubt, I think, it is better for the European Parliament and for Europe to have a man of conscience, but if I should be discriminated (against) because I am a Catholic, I prefer to remain a Catholic,” Buttiglione told the BBC.

Buttiglione is ready to sacrifice the chance to be the EU Justice Chief if it would bring trouble to his whole team, “I have enough faith to renounce a job in the Commission if need be.”

Italy is a country deeply influenced by Catholic faith and moral teachings. The Pope has always preached to the people and the worldly leaders to follow the teachings of Christ. Italian politicians feel sorry for the failure of Buttiglione. Many saw him as a potential martyr to “political correctness”.

In an article for the daily Il Messaggero, Vittorio Messori, who wrote a best-selling book with Pope John Paul, lamented, “Thank God anti-semitism has passed, but it has been replaced in western culture by anti-Catholicism.”