David Sassoli, italian journalist and the former President of the European Parliament, passed away in an italian hospital at the age of 65 this past Tuesday. He had been struggling with health issues following a pneumonia caused by the legionella bacteria, that led him to be hospitalized in late December because of abnormal functioning of his immune system.
Sassoli belonged in the Socialist Party he Presided the European Parliament starting in 2019 and even though he was occasionally overshadowed by by von der Leyen and Michel, Sassoli led an institution which ended up being stronger and more decisive in sectors such as digital economy, Brexit and climate change.
State funeral in Rome
The funeral service was attended by Italy’s President, Sergio Mattarella, and Prime Minister, Mario Draghi.”Our union has lost at the same time an Italian patriot, a great European and a tireless humanist,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.
European Council President Charles Michel called Sassoli a “sincere and passionate European. We already miss his human warmth, his generosity, his friendliness and his smile.”
Roberta Metsola, the Christian Democrat who was set to take over from Sassoli next week, said “I am heartbroken. Europe has lost a leader, I have a lost a friend, democracy has lost a champion.” She said Sassoli “dedicated his life to making the world a better, fairer place.”
