UPDATE 1-League's decision not to back von der Leyen risks isolating Italy-Deputy PM

The decision of Italy's ruling League party not to back Ursula von der Leyen as the next president of the European Commission risks isolating the country in Europe, Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Thursday.

Di Maio is the leader of the League's coalition partner, the 5-Star Movement, which voted in favor of von der Leyen, a German conservative who takes the helm of the Commission, the EU executive, in November. The clash within Italy's ruling coalition over the EU vote could endanger Rome's hopes of securing a top job in the new EU executive, political sources said.

"The League's attitude risks isolating Italy in Europe", the deputy prime minister said. The League, led by Matteo Salvini emerged as the country's largest party in May's European elections, and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said that it was up to the League to pick the country's commissioner.

Rome's hope was to obtain the competition portfolio with League's cabinet secretary Giancarlo Giorgetti as a front runner. In an interview with state-owned broadcaster RAI 1, Di Maio said that the League's EU lawmakers did not support the German candidate as they had not received guarantees over the new Italian member.