Government officials in Rome are fuming at EU High Representative Josep Borrell for his push to appoint former foreign minister Luigi Di Maio as the EU special envoy chief to the Persian Gulf, saying the Commission ignored Italian voters as well as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who remain silent on the matter.

The EU’s Political and Security Committee has ratified the appointment of Luigi Di Maio despite the strong reactions in Rome, where many wonder why the Meloni-led government was not consulted and especially why it failed to suggest a different name, given that Di Maio was never proposed or supported by the current executive.

“We must never forget that the pro-European conversion of the Five Star Movement allowed Ursula von der Leyen to become European Commission President and the current Commission itself to take office”, Lorenzo Castellani, professor of Political Institutions at LUISS Guido Carli, told EURACTIV.

New EU Gulf chief under question in Rome

EU top diplomat Josep Borrell nominating Italian former foreign minister and Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio to be the bloc’s special envoy to the Persian Gulf has been met with protest from some political parties and doubt among several …

“Di Maio boasted a credit to the Commission, as he was one of the architects of that turnaround”, Castellani added while pointing to the “malleability” of the former deputy prime minister.

Di Maio was also foreign minister in the former government led by former European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi, “and therefore formally unassailable, given the prestige Draghi enjoys in Europe”.

Draghi’s ‘revenge’?

Sources in the centre-right believe Borrell’s insistence on Di Maio is due to Draghi’s influence, both indirect and direct. They allege he is taking revenge against the Meloni government’s criticism of alleged mistakes made by previous governments on the Recovery Fund, causing complications and delays in obtaining EU funds.

Several members of Fratelli d’Italia, Lega, and Forza Italia expressed discontent with Di Maio’s appointment, except Meloni, who remained silent on the issue.

The League called the affair “a serious lack of respect” toward Italian voters, who in the last general election did not vote enough for Di Maio (0.5%), forcing him to stay out of parliament, and toward the Meloni government, which was never consulted.

At the League’s request, the chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee will send a letter to Parliament President Roberta Metsola asking the EU Council to come to the committee and “answer questions regarding the mandate, objectives and other relevant aspects relating to the tasks and role” of Di Maio as EU special envoy.

“One of the most critical areas of the planet, where there are very important interests (…) We must ensure mainly that whoever will represent the European institutions has all the degrees to play such an important role in the best possible way”, commented MEP Susanna Ceccardi (Lega/ID).

’Qatargate’ spat extends to EU Gulf envoy selection

“Qatargate” has caused shockwaves across Europe, and for now, several prominent members of the European socialist group have been involved mostly Italians. But there is one Italian who could gain something out of this: Luigi Di Maio.

Di Maio is a …

Senator: Di Maio lacks ‘elementary cultural foundations’

A further step against Di Maio was taken in the Italian parliament.

Senator Maurizio Gasparri (Forza Italia/EPP), in light of “perplexity” about Di Maio’s suitability to hold such a “delicate position in such a complex area”, asked the Meloni government to commit itself to “give Italy’s representatives at the various levels the indication to express a negative opinion on this designation”.

Gasparri said Di Maio is “blatantly inadequate” for the one Italianrole as he “lacks elementary cultural foundations, unaware of history, geography, the subjunctive, unable to distinguish one country from another”.

“I have already informed some diplomatic representatives from the Gulf area of the damage such a ridiculous figure would cause in international relations. And I found agreement and dismay”, Gasparri noted.

The Political and Security Committee (Cops), composed of the Representatives of the 27 member states, which proceeded with the ratification of the appointment without any discussion, now passes the ball to the Group of Foreign Relations Advisers (Relex).

This will then be followed by ratification by Coreper (Committee of Permanent Representatives) and final approval by the EU Council, which will allow Di Maio to take office as the EU’s special envoy from 1 June for 21 months.

Given Borrell’s recommendation, who described Di Maio as “the most suitable candidate” for the role, European sources explain that the next steps are mostly formalities to complete an almost concluded process.

(Federica Pascale | EURACTIV.it)

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