Berlusconi: Will not back down over Fini's nomination

Despite opposition from other member states, Mr Berlusconi said he would not compromise on his decision to appoint the leader of the post-fascist National Alliance, Gianfranco Fini, to the post.

At the same time, his Economy Minister, Giuliano Tremonti, is likely to have further antagonised Brussels by sharply criticising the Commission in a newspaper interview published on Friday.

Many European leaders have been troubled about an apparent shift in Italy's attitude to the EU since the resignation earlier this month of Foreign Minister Renato Ruggiero, in a row with Mr Tremonti and other eurosceptical cabinet colleagues.

Standing by his man

Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands are reported to be furious about Mr Fini's nomination to the Convention - not only because of his radical politics, but also because one Italian has already been appointed as a vice-president of the Convention.

Giuliano Amato: Does not want to speak for centre-right government

In theory, the government of each member state should have one seat on the body, which also comprises representatives of the European and national parliaments and the European Commission.

Italy's former socialist Prime Minister, Giuliano Amato, is one of two vice-presidents - the other is the Belgian Jean-Luc Dehaene - and some member states say that Rome has no right to nominate anyone else.

But Mr Berlusconi said that if he was forced to choose between Mr Fini and Mr Amato, Mr Fini would get the job.

Mr Amato has already said he will resign because he cannot be there as the representative of a government which he opposes

Silvio Berlusconi

"If the European Council decides that one of the two men must stay and the other must go, Mr Amato has already said he will resign because he cannot be there as the representative of a government which he opposes," he said.

The issue is likely to dog a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday, where Mr Berlusconi will make his first appearance in his role as interim foreign minister which he took over following Mr Ruggiero's resignation.

But despite their outrage, EU diplomats admit there is little they can do to prevent Mr Fini from showing up at the Convention's meetings.

'Invasive' EC

Italy's rough ride in Brussels will not have been smoothed by Mr Tremonti's inflammatory comments about the workings of the European Commission.

If you want to get a good laugh, read the commission's Official Journal

Giulio Tremonti

In an interview in the Wall Street Journal, the economy minister said it had "carried out invasive activity with excessive regulations" and called for it to do "less and better".

"If you want to get a good laugh, read the commission's Official Journal," he said, mocking EC directives on the weights and measures for vegetables.

He called for Brussels bureaucrats to be less domineering, and said any constitution for an enlarged Europe could only be drafted on the basis of popular consensus.

"The currency could be created with a certain illuminated despotism," he said.

"But the constitution requires democratic procedures."