The President of the European Parliament, the Italian Social Democrat David Sassoli, died on the night of Monday to Tuesday in Italy, at the age of 65, his spokesman said. “David Sassoli died on January 11 at 1:15 a.m. at the CRO (oncology reference center) in Aviano, Italy, where he had been hospitalized” since the end of December, announced on Twitter Roberto Cuillo, David’s spokesperson. Sassoli. “The date and place of the funeral will be communicated in the coming hours,” he added.
Tea @EP_President David Sassoli passed away at 1.15 am on 11 January at the CRO in Aviano (PN), Italy, where he was hospitalized. The date and place of the funeral will be communicated in the next few hours.
– RobertoCuillo (@robertocuillo) January 11, 2022
A first hospitalization last fall
Monday afternoon, his spokesperson announced the hospitalization of David Sassoli “due to a serious complication due to a dysfunction of the immune system” and the cancellation of his official activities. Having suffered from leukemia in the past, David Sassoli had already been hospitalized this fall for pneumonia which had kept him away from Parliament for several weeks. The mandate of this former journalist presenter of television news in Italy, at the head of the assembly since 2019, expired this month, at the half of the quinquennial legislature.
“Sincere and passionate European, we already miss his human warmth, his generosity, his friendliness and his smile”, reacted the President of the European Council Charles Michel. “I am extremely saddened by this terrible loss of a great European and proud Italian, attentive journalist, extraordinary President of the Parliament and above all a dear friend”, echoed the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
His term in Parliament was about to expire
Star journalist-presenter of television news in Italy before turning to politics, David Sassoli had been at the head of the Strasbourg assembly since 2019. His term ended this month, at the middle of the five-year legislature. The election for his succession, to which he had been questioning for a while that he would represent himself, is currently scheduled for January 18.
His group, the Social Democrats (S&D), the second political force in the European Parliament, had given up in mid-December to present a candidate, paving the way for the election of the EPP candidate (right), the current first Vice-President of Parliament, the Maltese Roberta Metsola. “My heart is broken. Europe has lost a leader, I have lost a friend, democracy has lost a champion,” the latter said on Twitter.
I am heartbroken. Europe has lost a leader, I have a lost a friend, democracy has lost a champion.#DavidSassoli dedicated his life to making the world a better, fairer place.
His Parliament joins Alessandra, Giulio & Livia in mourning their loss. All my thoughts are with them https://t.co/kO8DsQIqSj
– Roberta Metsola MEP (@RobertaMetsola) January 11, 2022
Elected after major political negotiations
Member of the European Parliament since 2009 without stopping with a failure in the municipal elections in Rome in 2013, David Sassoli was elected President of the European Parliament in July 2019 following negotiations between the major European political forces for the main positions of responsibility in the EU . The right, which had obtained the presidency of the Commission with Ursula von der Leyen, and the liberal-centrists, represented in the Council by Charles Michel, had also voted for him.
But his mandate, in which he was very involved, was quickly undermined by the health crisis, which forced the European Parliament, the only elected European institution, to work remotely. Out of solidarity in the midst of a pandemic, David Sassoli had made an impression by making the deserted premises of Parliament available, both in Strasbourg and in Brussels for the preparation of meals for people in need, the installation of a screening center. or to serve as a refuge for isolated women.
“You were bright, generous, happy”
“We will remember a leader of democracy and pro-European. You were bright, generous, joyful,” added his compatriot Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for the Economy. “His kindness was an inspiration to all,” said Frans Timmermans, vice-president of the Commission. The French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, for his part hailed “a fighter for Europe, a sincere and courageous defender of democracy and the values of our Union”.
MEPs expressed their deep emotion: “His work to modernize Parliament from top to bottom was visionary, and I hope we can complete what he started”, observed Danish Karen Melchior (Renew, Liberals).
Support messages on social networks
In recent hours, many Internet users including several political figures in Italy had shown their support for David Sassoli on social networks, using the hashtag #ForzaDavid (“Courage, David”), in unison with messages of support from officials European institutions and MEPs.
Discreet but firm in his debates in the hemicycle both in Strasbourg and in Brussels, David Sassoli had received “unanimous support” from his political group in November to run for a second term. But he had not officially declared himself a candidate at the time, and his state of health left some uncertainty over this candidacy, which his group had finally given up in mid-December.