David Sassoli, the president of the European Parliament, died early Tuesday in Italy, his spokesman and the parliament’s office in Washington said.
He dies at the age of 65.
In a Twitter post the officers said that Mr. Sassoli had died in the Italian town of Aviano.
No cause of death was immediately available. But he was hospitalized with severe pneumonia during a plenary session of the Parliament in Strasbourg, France, in September.
He later returned to Italy to recover, according to the report.
His spokesman, Roberto Cuillo, said on Monday on social media Mr. Sassoli was hospitalized again in Italy on Dec. 26 because his immune system was not functioning normally.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter that she was “deeply saddened by the terrible loss of a great European & proud Italian”. She described Sassoli as “a compassionate journalist, an outstanding President of the European Parliament and, first & foremost, a dear friend”.
EU Council President Charles Michel called Sassoli a “sincere and passionate European. We already miss his human warmth, his generosity, his friendliness, and his smile”.
David Sassoli had been struggling for months with poor health. Having suffered in the past from leukaemia, he was struck by a severe case of pneumonia in September during a plenary session of the Parliament and had to be hospitalised.
Sassoli’s mandate as head of the European Parliament was due to expire this month, halfway through the five-year legislative term which began in 2019.
“I am heartbroken. Europe has lost a leader, I have a lost a friend, democracy has lost a champion,” said Roberta Metsola, the Christian Democrat who was already set to take over from Sassoli as president of the parliament next week.
ALSO READ
