Buttiglione voelt zich slachtoffer van haatzaai-campagne (en)

Finding himself once more in the news after a fresh set of controversial comments, the new Italian Commissioner designate has said that he is the victim of an "anti-Christian" orthodoxy.

Speaking to Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Rocco Buttiglione said MEPs were trying to block his nomination to become commissioner because of his religious beliefs.

He said this meant having "to conform to a new orthodoxy, accompanied by a new inquisition, but this time anti-Christian".

"There is a hate-campaign being waged against me", claimed the conservative Catholic, adding that "whatever I say is being interpreted the wrong way".

His comments come after he caused a fresh storm of protest on Saturday (16 October) by reportedly saying that single mothers were "not very good" people.

Mr Buttiglione then said that his words had been taken out of context and on Sunday said that that single mother are the "heroines of our time".

The Italian has appeared regularly in print over the last two weeks after telling a European Parliament Committee that he thought homosexuality a sin.

The same Committee then rejected his nomination to be a Commissioner sparking a tussle between the incoming Commission President José Manuel Durao Barroso and the Brussels assembly.

The issue has come to a head with the Socialist group in the European Parliament threatening to veto his nomination if he is not given another portfolio - he is supposed to take on justice and home affairs from 1 November.

Meanwhile Swedish media report that 10 of the 19 Swedish MEPs are set to reject the whole Commission in a vote at the end of this month if Mr Buttiglione is not moved to a different portfolio.

Both sides are due to meet later this week (21 October) to see if the issue can be resolved.