Commissaris Frattini gaat campagne voeren bij Italiaanse verkiezingen (en)
European Commission vice-president Franco Frattini, one of the most high-profile of the commission's 27-member team, has decided to return to the realm of national politics and stand in Italy's general election in order to boost chances of centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi.
Mr Frattini, in charge of justice and home affairs, will take four weeks of unpaid leave from 14 March to 15 April.
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has already accepted Mr Frattini's decision, with the Italian's portfolio to be handed over to transport commissioner Jacques Barrot for the four week he will be away.
However, Mr Frattini is set to abandon his Brussels position at a busy time.
At the moment, he is involved in heated discussions with a series of member states over whether they should be allowed to strike bilateral deals with Washington on travel security in order to secure visa-free travel to the US.
Later this year, Mr Frattini is expected to table a major package of initiatives resulting in further harmonisation of the bloc's 27 national asylum policies.
In addition, he needs to push recent proposals through the legislative pipelines including a law suggesting that all employers who hire migrants found to be in Europe illegally should be sanctioned as well as measures aimed at strengthening the EU's external borders in order to monitor migrants and track down criminals.
Should Mr Berlusconi be elected as prime minister, Mr Frattini is likely to be offered the interior minister post, according to some media reports.
Mr Frattini had been a member of Mr Berlusconi's second government, which took office in 2001, serving as Italy's foreign minister from 2002. Two years later, he was appointed to the European Commission.
The election campaign was officially launched on 8 March, with polls suggesting a lead for Mr Berlusconi's centre-right party.
The snap elections, to be held on 13-14 April, follow the resignation of centre-left Prime Minister Romano Prodi in late January and a failed attempt to form a transition government with the aim of reforming the electoral system.