Gabriele Albertini would be the chairman of the EP's foreign affairs committee

(BRUSSELS2) It is the former mayor of Milan, who became an MEP in 2006, Gabriele Albertini, who should ultimately be the chairman of the parliamentary committee responsible for foreign affairs in the European Parliament. An important commission for the definition of EU foreign policy. Even if the European Parliament does not really have a lot of power in this area (unlike development aid), this commission has a certain prestige and, above all, should increase its power with the rise in power of the High Representative for Foreign Policy versus the Lisbon Treaty.

Born in 1950, Albertini is not really a born specialist in foreign affairs. From his personal past (he ran the family business specializing in aluminum metallurgy from 1974 to 1997, and participated in the work of employers' organizations such as Confindustria), he was more oriented towards industry and the economy. In the European Parliament, he was also a member of the Transport and Industry committees.

But his appointment is a bit of a coincidence in Italian politics. The "Foreign Affairs" committee of the European Parliament was originally assigned to Mario Mauro, an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency of the European Parliament, who had to step aside to leave the Polish Jerzy Buzek. Sort of like a consolation gift. But this one prefers to reserve itself for a national or even European destiny. He could thus be the Italian commissioner in the future European Commission taking office by the end of the year. Albertini has been greatly decorated abroad, notably in France (Officer of the Legion of Honour), in Russia (Order of Friendship) or in the United Kingdom (Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire).