José Manuel Durão Barroso, the incoming President of the European Commission, has been forced to withdraw his nomination for European Justice Commissioner because of his anti-gay remarks and misogynistic beliefs.
Rocco Buttiglione had said that homosexuality was a sin, that he did not support same-sex marriage and that he defended the traditional notion of heterosexual marriage with men in the role of protector of women.
Members of the European Parliament had been clamouring for his Buttiglione’s de-selection but both men had resisted.
However, one hour before the vote this morning, Barroso addressed the 732-member assembly and told them that if a vote were to go ahead the outcome would "not be positive" for the European Union.
He said: "In these circumstances I have decided not to submit a new Commission for your approval today.
"I need more time to look at this issue and to consult with the Council (of European leaders) and consult further with you, so we can have strong support for the new Commission. It is better to have more time to get it right."
“These last days have demonstrated that the European Union is an intensely political construction and that this Parliament, elected by popular vote across all our member states, has indeed a vital role to play in the governance of Europe."
Labour MEP and gay activist Michael Cashman said in a statement: “I’m glad that, at the eleventh hour, Barroso has finally seen sense. He must now come back with a Commission that is truly representative.
“MEPs have defended the fundamental rights we have long fought for in Europe. We fought on the basis of our principles, on what we believed was right, and we carried out the job of democratic scrutiny we were elected to do," he added.
“Buttiglione was completely unsuited to the job he was given, not just because of his backward views but because of what he has done in the past and what he said he would do in the future."
The announcement means that the current European Commission will remain in place for at least several weeks.