(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 19 - European Affairs Minister Raffaele Fitto on Friday said he saw no risk regarding Italy's role in the European Commission after MEPs from Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party voted against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen getting a second term at the helm of the EU executive.
    "I never saw the risk of determining a different approach on Italy's role in the Commission in relation to Parliament's political vote", Fitto said, speaking at an assembly of farmers' association Coldiretti.
    "Italy is a founding (EU) country that inevitably has an important role and will inevitably continue to have it within the European Commission in relation to the choices that will then be made".
    Fitto then played down speculation that he will soon be appointed European commissioner, saying that he will continue to work on the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNNR) as European affairs minister.
    Earlier this week, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti and Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani both backed him to become Italy's member of the new Commission.
    Fitto also did not comment on which position Italy is eyeing.
    "It is a theme that will be considered, I care much more for dossiers and to reach results within our government's action and therefore in our country's interest", he noted.
    Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini said Friday that he was in "total agreement" with Meloni after MEPs from both his League party and FdI voted against von der Leyen's re-election.
    "I'm happy about the League-Brothers of Italy unity," said Salvini, adding that he had been texting the premier.
    On Thursday Salvini said von der Leyen's re-election was the result of "yet another shady deal" and he repeated his dissatisfaction with it on Friday.
    "(It was) a big power agreement on sharing the spoils, based on economic interests, that is a slap in the face of democracy," he told Radio Libertà.
    "Many voters voted for a change, but instead there is an imbalance, with a shift to the Left.
    "Yesterday was a negative day, economically and democratically".
    The other main partner in Meloni's governing coalition, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's centre-right Forza Italia, voted in favour of von der Leyen getting a second term at the helm of the EU executive.
    Opposition politicians have criticised FdI's decision to vote against von der Leyen.
    Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein said the government had unveiled its divisions and its "total irrelevance in Europe.
    "Giorgia Meloni has always chosen the wrong allies in Europe and this is isolating our country," Schlein continued, accusing the premier of "putting the interests of her party before those of the country". (ANSA).