(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 17 - Premier Giorgia Meloni is defending Italy "tooth and nail" in the EU, Relations with Parliament Minister Luca Ciriani said Wednesday amid intense negotiations over the new European Commission ahead of Thursday vote in the EU Parliament on whether EC President Ursula von der Leven should get a second term in charge of the EU executive. It is uncertain what the MEPs from Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) and the Conservative ECR group it belongs to will do when it comes to the vote.
    The premier was furious that the ECR group she chairs was left out of the negotiations for the EU top jobs.
    But there is speculation Meloni may get her MEPs to vote for von der Leyen and give 'external' support to the new EU executive if she gets policy concessions and Italy is given a Commissioner with an influential post.
    Von der Leven had a meeting with ECR representatives on Wednesday at which a "structural collaboration" between the group and the incoming executive was ruled out.
    The Commission chief and the Italian premier are expected to talk on the telephone before the vote.
    Meloni and the ECR are reportedly looking for the new Commission to adopt a tougher stance on migrants and for changes to the Green Deal, with a more gradual approach to the ecological transition. (ANSA).