BRUSSELS, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- The European Parliament in Brussels approved a new team of EU commissioners Thursday with 66 percent of members in favor, the BBC reported.
The vote on Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso's revamped roster was passed by 449 votes to 149, with 82 abstentions.
The commissioners will take office Monday, three weeks behind schedule because of a political storm over one of Barroso's original appointees. Many of the members of parliament objected to the nomination of conservative Rocco Buttiglione of Italy, who said he considers homosexuality a sin, for justice commissioner
Barroso had to scramble to replace him and settled on Italy's outgoing Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.
The parliament has the power to reject the entire commission but cannot vote against individual commissioners.
In Thursday's vote, members also approved a resolution seeking to increase their powers to oust any commissioner in whom they lose confidence.
