{"id":1152,"date":"2022-01-11T19:21:21","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T19:21:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/angola\/all-news\/david-sassoli-flags-lowered-for-eu-parliament-leader"},"modified":"2022-01-11T19:25:54","modified_gmt":"2022-01-11T19:25:54","slug":"david-sassoli-flags-lowered-for-eu-parliament-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/angola\/all-news\/david-sassoli-flags-lowered-for-eu-parliament-leader","title":{"rendered":"David Sassoli: Flags lowered for EU parliament leader"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Angola. <\/strong><\/span>Leading EU figures have paid tributes to European Parliament President David Sassoli, who has died at the age of 65.<\/p>\n

The Italian former journalist and centre-left politician had been seriously ill for more than two weeks and cancelled all official activities.<\/p>\n

Mr Sassoli was admitted to hospital in Italy last month due to a serious complication with his immune system.<\/p>\n

His role is seen as one of the EU’s top jobs, and includes overseeing parliament’s activities.<\/p>\n

EU flags in Brussels have been lowered to fly at half-mast in his memory. Leaders and officials from around Europe have been reflecting on his life and work.<\/p>\n

Many of the tributes were made in Italian, reflecting Mr Sassoli’s linguistic preference despite the predominance of English and French in EU business.<\/p>\n

“Our union loses an Italian patriot, a great European and an indefatigable humanist,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.<\/p>\n

The German leader, Olaf Scholz, said that Europe “has lost a committed parliament president, Italy a savvy politician and Germany a good friend”.<\/p>\n

Dozens of members of the European Parliament gathered on the steps of the building in Brussels for a minute’s silence to remember him, followed by a round of applause.<\/p>\n

From politicians of left and right, and from journalists across Italy, tributes have poured in for a man who rose through the ranks of both public worlds.<\/p>\n

David Sassoli’s early life as a reporter took him through newspapers and then to the national broadcaster RAI. His youthful passion for politics – a tweet today showed him as a young activist at the fall of the Berlin wall – led him to a career jump. After an unsuccessful bid to become mayor of Rome, he was elected to the European Parliament, crowned finally as its president.<\/p>\n

Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi called him a “profound European, a passionate journalist” and “a symbol of balance, humanity and generosity.” In his native Florence, the town hall’s flag is at half-mast and here in Rome, his body will lie in state on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Many have mentioned his warmth – photos show a broad smile – and his ability to build bridges. Among the many European issues he confronted was migration, urging solidarity from member states.<\/p>\n

“If there is no respect for human life”, he said, “Europe doesn’t exist.”<\/p>\n

In September, Mr Sassoli was taken to hospital in Strasbourg where he was treated for a severe case of pneumonia caused by legionella. He later told his followers on social media that he had suffered a relapse while recuperating in Italy.<\/p>\n

He worked remotely during October, officially resuming his political duties in November. But he was again hospitalised on 26 December, Italian media report.<\/p>\n

“Pneumonia is an ugly beast – the important thing is to avoid relapses and the convalescence must be adequate,” he told Italian outlet Corriere in September.<\/p>\n

A vote to elect his replacement had already been planned for later this month, and Mr Sassoli had indicated that he would not seek re-election.<\/p>\n

The former television newsreader became president of the 705-seat European Parliament in July 2019. He was the second Italian president since the assembly was elected by universal suffrage.<\/p>\n

He beat three other candidates to the role, and in a speech following his victory he called for the EU to return to the spirit of its founding fathers who swapped warfare and nationalism for peace and equality.<\/p>\n

Mr Sassoli left a three-decade career in journalism and became a member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 2009.<\/p>\n

He was a member of the centre-left Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the second-biggest grouping in the parliament.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Angola<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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