Foreign Ministry's statement on the death of the President of the European Parliament David M. Sassoli
11.01.2022 / 15:09 | Aktualizováno: 02.03.2023 / 15:55
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic joined in expressing condolences following the passing of the President of the European Parliament and Italian politician David Sassoli, who died today, 11 January 2022.
David Sassoli headed the European Parliament as one of the European Union's main institutions since July 2019. He was elected to the European Parliament (EP) in 2009 on behalf of the Italian Democratic Party and a member of the EP's Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. He also served as Vice-President of the EP and was a member of the EP Group on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights. He replaced his compatriot Antonio Tajani as the President of the EP and was the seventh Italian to hold this position.
Among his priorities as President of the EP was the promotion of freedom, solidarity and the rule of law. He held one of the top positions in the EU during the extremely difficult coronavirus pandemic, which forced the temporary closure of the EP's headquarters in Brussels and Strasbourg, and thus led to significant changes in the EP's working methods.
From his position, Sassoli played a key role in negotiating the EU's multiannual financial budget 2021 – 2027 and creating an unprecedented financial instrument for the EU's recovery, also supporting the European Commission's agenda and achieving consensus in often complex negotiations.
Sassoli resigned shortly before the end of his two-and-a-half-year term as President of the EP.