FAREWELL TO DAVID SASSOLI

Freedom, rights and development were the pillars on which stood the entire political career of the President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, who died on 11 January at the end of a long illness. The frequent smile that illuminated his face as an eternal young man was in actual fact a reflection of his ability to converse with everyone, with political opponents in particular since anyone can talk to friends. Firm without being overbearing, he had also maintained his sense of irony as a politician that had allowed him to do the “Mexican wave” with the Italian celebrity Fiorello while, in his previous career, he was a newsreader for Tg1. Sassoli opposed those who take themselves too seriously and believe that the strongest is the one who shouts the most with his mild-mannered disposition. This resulted in a determination that looked to the future, that laid the foundations for a deep integration process, planned concrete responses to the needs of citizens, defended the founding values of freedom and brought home results when the dust raised by the empty words of the showmen settled. Never underestimate the quiet ones, especially if they are determined to recover «the pioneering momentum of the Founding Fathers, who were able to put aside the hostilities of war, put an end to the damage by nationalism by giving us a project capable of combining Peace, democracy, rights, development and equality», as he was not afraid to say on 3 July 2019 in the speech of his inauguration as president of the European Parliament. A clear, anti-sovereign program, openly opposed to those who «bet on the decline of this project, fuelling divisions and conflicts that we thought were a sad reminder of our history». And these are not general principles, but concrete issues, because it must be «clear to everyone that no government in Europe can kill, that the value of people and their dignity are our way of measuring our policies. That here no one can silence their opponents, that our governments and the European institutions that represent them are the fruit of democracy and free elections. That no one can be condemned for their religious, political or philosophical faith. That in Europe girls and boys can travel, study and love without constraints». The man who died was a European citizen, a native democrat, who earned the respect of his opponents without giving up his ideas, firmly convinced that «Europe is not an accident of history».