MEPs elect David Sassoli as President of the European Parliament

It took just two ballots on 3 July for MEP David Sassoli, a member of the S&D group to obtain enough votes to become president of the new European Parliament for the next 5 years. Shortly after the results were announced, the Italian socialist addressed his colleagues in the chamber. In his speech, the newly elected president appealed to the values of the founding fathers of the EU.

“We are the children and grandchildren of those who managed to find the antidote to the nationalism that poisoned our history,” Sassoli said.

“Nothing is possible without men, but nothing is lasting without institutions,” he stressed.

Sassoli also defended the need to reinforce the role of the European Parliament.

The institution needs to be strengthened “to relaunch the process of integration, changing our Union and being able to come forward with real responses to the needs of our people,” Sassoli said.

Members of the Parliament need to make sure that the institution “can play a leading role in a fully fledge European democracy,” he insisted, “protect the independence” of European citizens.

Видео MEPs elect David Sassoli as President of the European Parliament канала EURACTIV