Death of the Italian David Sassoli, defender of democracy and European solidarity

We are on December 17, 2019 in Strasbourg, seat of the European Parliament. On the 12th floor of the gigantic building, Michel Barnier comes out of the monumental office of David Sassoli, elected president of the institution since July. File under his arm, surrounded by his team, the chief Brexit negotiator comes to report on the latest advances in the EU’s divorce with the United Kingdom. An obligatory passage. “Who listens to Parliament listens to citizens”, then commented the Italian to The cross. That was his mantra. He will have defended it to the end.

Rain of tributes

David Sassoli, who died Tuesday, January 11 in Italy at the age of 65, has continued to speak for MEPs. So much so that, in the ranks of the EPP (right), his former political opponents paid tribute to his “Energy to defend representative democracy”. Conservative Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regretted the“Extraordinary president” and “A dear friend”. “We already miss his human warmth, his generosity, his friendliness and his smile”, reacted the President of the European Council Charles Michel (Renew, liberal).

→ PORTRAIT. David-Maria Sassoli, an Italian connoisseur of the corridors of the EU in Parliament

David Sassoli, candidate of the Social Democrats (S & D), second family of Parliament, succeeded in 2019 another Italian, Antonio Tajani, a close friend of Silvio Berlusconi from the EPP (right). His election allows Italy to remain in one of the three important European posts, after the departure of Mario Draghi (European Central Bank) and Federica Mogherini (head of diplomacy).

Committed Catholic

A connoisseur of the mysteries of European power, David Sassoli died during his third term as MEP. Since the end of December, he had been hospitalized at the Aviano oncology center, north of Venice. Previously a victim of leukemia, his health had already shown signs of weakness in the fall, with pneumonia that had forced him to put his activities on hold. He eventually succumbed to a “Serious complication due to a dysfunction of the immune system”. He leaves a wife, the architect Alessandra Vittorini, and two children.

It had only been ten years since this Florentine had entered politics. Prior to that, after joining the Italian Catholic Guides and Scouts Association, he had a long career in journalism. He collaborated early with several small newspapers, before entering the daily The day. In 1992, he was hired by RAI 1, the first public service television channel. He quickly became presenter of the JT, then deputy director. It was not until 2009 that he gave up everything to stand in the European elections, under the label of the Democratic Party (PD). Reelected in 2014, he became Vice-President of the Parliament in charge of the budget and Euro-Mediterranean policy.

His regret: not having succeeded in breaking into the Italian national political scene. In 2013, he coveted in vain the town hall of Rome. David Sassoli comes in second behind Ignazio Marino, but ahead of a certain Paolo Gentiloni, who later became Prime Minister. The latter, now European Commissioner for the Economy, mourns his qualities: «You were bright, generous, joyful. “

The Pope praises his “vision of solidarity”

In Italy, viewers lose a familiar, much loved face. In journalistic circles, the emotion was high. “You liked journalism, you liked politics, you liked Europe, you were anti-fascist”, wrote this morning his former collaborator Tiziana Ferrario on Facebook. During the morning, the current director of the JT of RAI 1, Monica Maggioni, tried in vain to stifle a sob, before resigning herself to speak. At the Vatican, the Pope made a point of celebrating in a telegram the action of this “Believer animated by hope and charity”, promoter of a “United vision of the European community”.

During the pandemic, David Sassoli reorganized the institution so that it could continue to operate. No offense to Paris, the plenary sessions no longer took place in Strasbourg. The Italian has set up a system of debate and remote voting. It is the first hemicycle in the world to do so. The deserted seat did not remain useless for long. The places were used to prepare meals for poor people, screen for Covid-19 patients, and shelter isolated women.

“His work to modernize Parliament from the ground up was visionary, and I hope we can complete what he started”, observed the Danish Karen Melchior (Renew, liberals). In an interview with The cross at the end of 2019, he was defending tooth and nail the role of his institution. He was indeed very pugnacious in defending an ambitious multiannual budget, or in pulling the reins of the Conference on the Future of Europe, which should deliver its conclusions in May.

→ MAINTENANCE. David Sassoli: “We must give MEPs a right of legislative initiative”

Its priorities were multiple: to give a legal framework to the principle of “Top candidate”, according to which it is from among the leaders of the candidate lists for the European elections that the President of the European Commission must be chosen; establish transnational lists in the next elections; give the European Parliament a right of legislative initiative. “His vote must be followed up, and he must be listened to by the Council and the Commission”, he insisted.

A legacy in suspense

David Sassoli’s term was due to expire in a few days. He had received the “Unanimous support” of his political group in November to run for a second term, but he finally announced in mid-December that he had decided not to stand for re-election. Maltese Roberta Metsola is favorite to succeed her, but divides due to her conservative stance against abortion. She too reacted to the disappearance of the Italian president. ” My heart is broken. Europe has lost a leader, I have lost a friend, democracy has lost a champion ”, she said on Twitter.

The legacy left by David Sassoli will no doubt be present in the secret ballot election for his succession, on January 18, 2022, during the next plenary session.

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