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15 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 12 JANUARY 2022 EUROPE These articles are part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. These articles reflect only the authors' view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. SEBASTIAN VASSALLO THE European flags in Brussels yesterday flew at half-mast for its outgoing president of the Eu- ropean Parliament, David-Maria Sassoli. The Italian socialist politi- cian passed away on Tuesday, aged 65, mere days before the official termination of his pres- idential term, after struggling with immune system compli- cations which resulted in pro- longed pneumonia. Sassoli stood at the helm of parliament through trying times during the COVID-19 pandemic which saw the EU in- stitutions shut their doors and necessitated some of the most widespread remote working ever attempted. He had been instrumental in tough negotiations over the EU's long-term budget, pav- ing the way for the establish- ment of a historic €1.8 trillion budget-and-recovery package, which includes both tradition- al funding and unprecedented joint debt. In 2020, rge Parlia- ment reached a deal with the Council of the EU ensuring the adoption of the 2021-2027 budget. Under the agreement, Parliament won extra funding in areas such as the Horizon Europe research programme and the popular Erasmus stu- dent exchange program. The selection of David Sas- soli for EP president had been a surprise to many, including himself by his own admission in an interview with Politico, when the 2019 European elec- tions saw the two dominant wings lose seats. Sassoli was chosen to steer a three-headed majority coali- tion through his two-and-half- year term. European leaders, MEPs, civil servants and many other nota- ble figures and organisations the world over took to the in- ternet in an outpouring of grief to express their profound sor- row at Sassoli's passing. Among them was European Commission president Ursu- la von der Leyen: "I am deeply saddened by the terrible loss of a great European and proud Italian. David Sassoli was a compassionate journalist, an outstanding President of the European Parliament and, first and foremost, a dear friend. My thoughts are with his family." European Council President Charles Michel described Sas- soli as a "sincere and passion- ate European," adding: "We al- ready miss his human warmth, his generosity, his friendliness and his smile." The Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola, billed to be his suces- sor upon an election for the presidency for the second half of the legislature, expressed her heartbreak at Sassoli's passing. "Europe has lost a leader, I have lost a friend, democracy has lost a champion. David Sas- soli dedicated his life to making the world a better, fairer place. His Parliament joins Alessan- dra, Giulio & Livia in mourning their loss. All my thoughts are with them." Sassoli was born in Florence, on 30 May, 1956, and is said to have begun working as a jour- nalist from an early age with small newspapers before mov- ing to Rome to join the staff of Il Giorno, a Milan-headquar- tered daily newspaper. In the early 1990s he moved to television, starting as a cor- respondent for TG3 and soon became a fixture on news pro- grammes on Rai Uno and Rai Due. By the end of the 90s he had become special corre- spondent at TG1, and spent a decade managing the main editions of the channel's news programmes. By 2007 he was deputy director. Sassoli's first foray into poli- tics was due to Walter Veltro- ni, ex-mayor of Rome and the first leader of Italy's centre-left Democratic Party, which was founded in 2007, and which Sassoli joined. Sassoli was elected for the first time to the European Parliament in 2009, and was the head of the party's delegation from 2009 to 2014. In 2012, Sassoli made a failed bid for mayor of Rome as the Democratic Party candidate, but he was re-elected to the Eu- ropean Parliament in 2014 and also elected as a Parliament vice president. His main focus was transport issues. He then won a third term in 2019, positioning him as a leading socialist vice-president at the perfect moment when the European Council's quest for party balance in the EU's new leadership slate called for a center-left Parliament presi- dent. Sassoli was a fierce support- er of the EU and a true Euro- pean at heart but that didn't stop him from criticising the institutions and treaties where he saw fit. At the time of his election, Sassoli highlighted the need for reform to the EU's leadership selection process and suggested the possibility of seeking amendments to the treaties. "We hope to be able to enter in a process of treaty revision but we can't say it now, it will depend on the work that will be done…This legislature must be a political legislature, and it must be political in the sense that we need to give shape and content to the request of a new Europe." Sassoli leaves behind his wife Alessandra and their two chil- dren, Giulio and Livia. Sassoli passing shocks MEPs, European institutions David Sassoli