Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- European Commission President Romano Prodi urged his designated successor, Jose Barroso, to save the incoming commission from a European Parliament veto by striking a compromise over a disputed Italian commissioner.

Prodi, set to hand over on Nov. 1, called on Barroso to take seriously the parliament's threats to reject the new commission because Italy's nominee, Rocco Buttiglione, is against immigration, homosexuality and single motherhood.

Barroso must ``understand that even if the European Parliament has not the same power of a national parliament, it is a parliament, with all the political implications,'' Prodi said in an interview in Brussels. The new president must forge ``a strong political agreement with the parliament.''

Barroso, a former Portuguese prime minister, risks defeat in an Oct. 27 vote to confirm his commission before he has even taken office. The parliament has ousted the commission only once before, when it forced out Jacques Santer's team in 1999 over allegations of nepotism and financial mismanagement.

The Brussels-based commission oversees EU regulatory and trade policy, manages the EU's 100 billion-euro ($127 billion) farm and regional-aid programs, proposes and executes EU-wide laws and seeks to be a rallying point for a stronger EU voice in international affairs.

Rebuilding Authority

Prodi, who as Italian prime minister had shepherded Italy into the euro, took over from Santer and battled throughout his five-year term to rebuild the commission's authority in the face of growing popular dissatisfaction with the EU.

Only 48 percent of European citizens regard EU membership as a ``good thing,'' down from 70 percent in 1990, according to a Eurobarometer poll in February and March of 28,340 people. No margin of error was given.

Prodi, 65, had to fight the parliament, the EU's only directly elected institution, as well as national leaders such as Britain's Tony Blair, Germany's Gerhard Schroeder and France's Jacques Chirac for political influence.

Barroso, 48, confronts a parliamentary revolt before his term gets under way. It was triggered when Buttiglione, nominated for justice commissioner, refused to apologize for declaring homosexuality a ``sin.'' At least three EU countries -- Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands -- have legalized gay marriage.

Tackling Racism

Buttiglione became the first commission nominee in a half- century of EU history to be rejected by a parliament committee, which said he must go or be moved away from the justice post, which carries responsibility for immigration, combating racism and xenophobia, and the fight against terrorism.

That non-binding vote set off a game of brinksmanship with Barroso leading up to the full parliament's confirmation vote next Wednesday. The parliament can only reject the entire 30-member commission, a step Barroso is gambling it won't take.

Barroso last week failed to quell opposition by the parliament's Socialists, Liberals and Greens when he promised to chair an equal-rights taskforce that would prevent Buttiglione's personal views from filtering into policy.

Barroso expressed ``full confidence'' in the 56-year-old Buttiglione, Italy's minister of European affairs and a former philosophy professor who knows and has written about Pope John Paul II.

`Not Good Enough'

Buttiglione remained the target of criticism after last week voicing ``deep regret'' for the furor and saying he intended no offense to homosexuals.

The offer is ``simply not good enough,'' the Socialist group leader, Martin Schulz of Germany, said last week. The three parties control 330 seats in the 732-seat parliament, close to a majority of 366 needed to reject Barroso's team.

A rejection on Wednesday would force Prodi's commission to stay on indefinitely, leaving the EU rudderless at a time when economic growth is slowing and the bloc is struggling to heal the divisions over the Iraq war and occupation.

``I think the commission will be approved, that's my forecast,'' Prodi said. ``But clearly, we would have no choice'' in case the parliament votes no. ``We would be obliged to stay here as a caretaker.'' Such an interim ``would last a short time,'' he said.

A defeat next week would force Barroso to review the status of other commissioners who have provoked parliamentary doubts, including the Netherlands' Neelie Kroes, due to become competition commissioner; Denmark's Mariann Fischer Boel, the designated farm commissioner; and Hungary's Laszlo Kovacs, slated for the energy post.

The parliament would have to hold confirmation hearings on any new appointees and the earliest it could approved a revamped Barroso team would be during its Nov. 15 session. The normal process of appointing the commission stretches over three to four months.

To contact the reporter on this story: James G. Neuger at jneuger@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 24, 2004 03:44 EDT