Buttiglione's nomination for a post as European Commissioner with a portfolio that was to include civil liberties, resulted in controversy as some political groups opposed him for his conservative Catholic views on homosexuality, despite his assurances that these were only his personal convictions and would not dictate his administration.

The new balance of power inside the ruling coalition effectively entitled the UDC to ask for even more and it was therefore decided that Rocco Buttiglione, already a minister in the government, would become Italy's member of the European Commission.

In 2004, José Manuel Barroso included him on his list of nominees for the European Commission, with a designated portfolio of Justice, Freedom and Security.

During his hearing before the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice And Home Affairs, Buttiglione - a Catholic - was asked about his stance on homosexuality and women.

[2] The PES, ALDE and Green/EFA groups expressed reservations regarding Buttiglione's ability to take positive political action in the area of civil rights, particularly in regards combating discrimination, and threatened to reject the entire proposed Commission.

Foreign minister Franco Frattini was later indicated as a possible alternative, with the implicit promise that his ministry would then go to Gianfranco Fini, whose party had recently increased its influence in the government coalition.

Turin had been a left-wing stronghold in the previous general elections and the city hosted successfully the 2006 Winter Olympics, making Buttiglione's challenge very difficult.

Adding to that, some wondered why such a hard-line conservative, who had never lived in Turin before, was proposed for the office, calling Buttiglione's move as a political suicide.

Giampiero Catone, a senior aide of Buttiglione, has been charged with "fraudulent bankruptcy" in Italy; and faces inquiries into the disappearance of millions of Euros of Italian and EU funds.

He later told the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute that he had been misquoted and clarified that he meant it was unlikely that Italy would ban abortion given its political situation.