In 2004 a new European Commission had to be nominated. José Manuel Barroso was going to be the President while Italian Government (back then ruled by President Berlusconi) proposed Rocco Buttiglione for the Justice, Freedom and Security portfolio. Unfortunately, Buttiglione’s view on sex, family and homosexuality was so fundamentalist conservative that after just a couple hearings the Parliament was totally upset with him and the entire Commission was at risk of a rejection (something unheard of). Among others, a remarkable quote:
The family exists in order to allow women to have children and to have the protection of a male who takes care of them.
Italy had to repair the problem, so Buttiglione’s nomination was withdrawn and eventually changed with Franco Frattini.
Now, in three years of being Commissioner, this man:
- asked for a European ban on the “Rule of Rose” adult videogame and was backfired by Commissioner Viviane Reding;
- bowed to the US, authorizing them to gather personal data of European Citizens through SWIFT, a private company based in Belgium, and to retain that data for fifteen years;
- is planning to make illegal every website that contains material useful to terrorists, to make Internet providers responsible for the traffic they convey, and eventually to build a China-like pan-european censorship firewall.
and that’s just what came out after googling 10 minutes.
Guys, as an Italian I am very sorry. Europe deserved a decent Commissioner. Please accept my apologies.
