© Provided by El Universal Online
David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament Brussels, dies. David Sassoli, the Italian journalist who built a career in politics and became president of the parliament of the European Union, died in a hospital in Italy in the early hours of Tuesday, his spokesman said. He was 65 years old.
Roberto Cuillo’s message on Twitter did not offer further details. Sassoli, a socialist, had been hospitalized since December 26 due to the abnormal functioning of his immune system, Cuillo said in a statement published the day before.
“This hospitalization was necessary due to a serious complication derived from a dysfunction in the immune system,” the note explained.
Although he had been dealing with health problems for months, Sassoli he remained in office, where his energy and smile were his hallmark.
Sassoli came to the presidency of the European Parliament in 2019 following an intricate political struggle between community leaders that gave the presidency of the European Commission to the German Christian Democrat Ursula von der Leyen and that of the European Council to Belgian liberal Charles Michel.
“I am deeply saddened by the terrible loss of a great European and a proud Italian,” von der Leyen said on Twitter. “David Sassoli He was a compassionate journalist, a prominent President of the European Parliament and, above all, a dear friend. “
David Sassoli was a man of deep faith and strong convictions.
In the @Europarl_EN he constantly defended our Union and its values.
But he also believed that Europe had to strive for more.
He wanted Europe to be more united.
Closer to its people. More faithful to our values.
– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 11, 2022
Sassoli he was first elected to the European Parliament in 2009. He won another term in 2014 and served as vice-president of the chamber. He had considered running for the second half of the five-year term that begins next week, but decided not to run for re-election when lawmakers choose their new president in Strasbourg, France.
The European Parliament represents the 450 million citizens of the bloc and calls itself “the heart of European democracy”. It is one of the seven branches of the EU and has more than 700 deputies elected directly by the member countries.
Sassoli he had strong convictions, especially on social issues like migration.
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