Italian agri minister, Draghi among top guesses for EU role

Discussions and guessing games over which Italian politicians could be set to head to Brussels and what role they could be in are intensifying ahead of the June European elections, with the names of Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, a member of Fratelli d’Italia (ECR) and brother-in-law of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and former prime minister Mario Draghi both cropping up.

According to information published by local media in Rome, Fratelli d’Italia’s leadership has suggested Lollobrigida for a role in Brussels.

Meloni would like to give him a post as commissioner of agriculture, but it would appear that Lollobrigida is resisting, fearing that Brussels may, in the long run, remove him from power and that the EU leadership may ‘fail’ him.

Malignants suggest that this is part of a desperate attempt by Meloni to get rid of her troublemaker brother-in-law without completely sidelining him. To ward off the European hypothesis, Lollobrigida has already announced that his candidate of choice for the EU elections is MEP and ECR co-chair Nicola Procaccini.

Draghi is another high-profile Italian who knows his way around Europe and could aspire to the presidency of the European Council or the European Commission.

Tajani: Draghi ‘can do anything’

“I do not exclude anything because there are so many names. We have to see if there will be an agreement on this […] it’s not a country that decides”, commented Forza Italia (EPP) leader Antonio Tajani, adding that he believes the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) will push forward EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s candidacy.

“Draghi can do anything, but it seems premature to point at him and put him at odds with others […] Knowing Draghi, I don’t think he wants to get into a competition”, he added.

Should Lollobrigida go to Brussels, freeing up the agriculture chair, Meloni could seize the opportunity to make a reshuffle given that she seems to have been disappointed by the actions of some ministers: Adolfo Urso (Made in Italy), Gennaro Sangiuliano (Culture), Santanchè (Tourism).

Rumours circulating in Rome – all to be confirmed – also tell of a possible candidature as chief candidate in the central constituency for Fratelli d’Italia of Arianna Meloni, Meloni’s sister but also a militant of the first hour and now executive and head of membership in the party.

(Federica Pascale | Euractiv.it)

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