Barroso houdt vast aan huidige samenstelling Commissie

EUOBSERVER / STRASBOURG - The prospect of the European Union being plunged into political crisis tomorrow continues to loom as incoming Commission President José Manuel Durao Barroso holds tough on his new team of Commissioners.

Addressing the European Parliament this morning, ahead of Wednesday's crucial vote on whether or not to accept the new Commission, Mr Barroso made only partial concessions to MEPs.

Speaking confidently in French and English, Mr Barroso reconfirmed his intention to "fight against all forms of discrimination" but once again refused to give controversial Italian Commissioner Rocco Buttiglione a different portfolio.

Mr Buttiglione's comments on gays and women before a Parliament committee two weeks ago provoked outrage among liberal and left MEPs at the time - some of whom then demanded that the Italian be removed from the high-profile justice and home affairs portfolio.

After weeks of to-ing and fro-ing between the institutions, the issue has now turned into a fully-blown power struggle between the member states and the Parliament.

Acknowledging the limits of his response, Mr Barroso said "some of you would have liked a more radical response and a reorganisation of the team. But is this a real option at this stage?"

Changing the team now would cause "more political and inter-institutional problems than it would solve", he said.

"Little initiatives"

With his whole team of commissioners sitting behind him - including Mr Buttiglione who had to listen to several disparaging comments made about his suitability of the job - Mr Barroso pleaded for MEPs to support the solution he had proposed.

However, the plea fell on several deaf ears. Leader of the Socialist Group Martin Schulz said that Mr Barroso's response so far has been to say "I refuse to change anything".

"This is a massive impediment to further progress", he said going on to dismiss Mr Barroso's "little initiatives".

For the first time, liberal leader Graham Watson, whose group could hold the balance between a yes and a no vote, indicated that the liberals could say no.

"[We] will not diminish the status of this House _ or the stature of the post of European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs just for an easy life", said Mr Watson.

Meet me half way

The biggest group in the Parliament, the centre-right EPP continue to support Mr Barroso as does the small nationalist UEN group.

Theoretically, the socialists, greens, liberals, leftist and eurosceptics groups could get enough votes to together to vote the new team down - but several parliament-watchers are saying that it is still too close to call.

Responding to criticisms by several other MEPs, Mr Barroso asked them to meet him "at the half-way point".

If the Commission is voted down "it would be a very bad moment for Europe", said the former Portuguese prime minister.

Challenging his critics he said "your ranks are split". He added that if were to do a re-shuffle of portfolios, there would be no guarantee that the "other side of the house" would vote in favour of the Commission.

Mr Barroso is due to meet leaders of the political groups once more this evening to see if a deal can be reached - the crucial vote is expected to take place at around noon tomorrow.