European Commission president-elect Ursula von der Leyen will hold talks with Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte during a visit Rome on 2 August, Adnkronos has learned. The visit comes as von der Leyen tours Europe's capitals for consultations on the next EU executive's programme and to appoint her team before she takes up her duties in November.
Von der Leyen's meeting with Conte will focus on the European Commission portfolio to be assigned to Italy. Conte has said Italy is aiming for a heavyweight portfolio - preferably that of competition commissioner.
Other possible commissioners that Rome would accept are understood to be trade or industry.
Matteo Salvini, head of the far-right League party, which won the European elections in Italy, will get the biggest say in the country's picks for commissioner, who will be chosen in consultation with Conte and ruling grassroots 5-Star Movement chief Luigi Di Maio.
Von der Leyen is said to have asked for the names of a man and a woman as she wants to assign half the commissioner jobs to each sex.
A female candidate with an economic background is believed to be Italy's best hope of getting the portfolio it wants, according to sources.
Von der Leyen has already held talks with top officials in Berlin, Paris and Warsaw and Wednesday will be in Madrid for a business lunch with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez and for a meeting with foreign minister Josep Borrell, who has been nominated the European Union's next foreign policy chief.
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