The Italian socialist David-Maria Sassoli has been elected President of the European Parliament, a position he will hold for the next two and a half years. The Italian relieves his compatriot Antonio Tajani after winning by an absolute majority in the second round of voting held this Wednesday in the plenary session in Strasbourg (France). Sassoli has had the support of 345 MEPs, with which he has surpassed by a margin small the absolute majority that in the second round was fixed in 332 of the 662 valid votes cast. Behind the Italian has been the candidate of the Conservatives and Reformists, the Czech Jan Zahradil, with 160 votes; followed by the co-president of the European Greens, the German Ska Keller, with 119 votes and the Spanish of Podemos Sira Rego, who has added 43 votes, thus fulfilling the “recommendation” launched on the eve of the vote by the heads of state and the Government of the European Union that this institution be chaired in the new legislature by a MEP from the European social democratic family, in order to adjust to the balances agreed by the leaders in their negotiation of the distribution of high positions in the European Union This signal caused great discomfort in the European Parliament for what the different groups interpret as a serious interference by capitals in an institution that should be totally independent. In fact, the outcome of the negotiations between the 28 member states has generated strong tensions within their European political families.Furthermore, Sassoli did not only have the support of his group, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), but also with the of the European People’s Party and European Liberals, which should have secured him 442 votes.However, he has won the position with less support and in the second round, because in the first round he did not achieve an absolute majority. In the fight for the position that the Italian has won, neither the Popular Party nor the Liberals were there. , since they support the socialist and because the EPP candidate to preside over the European Commission, the German Manfred Weber, who was vetoed by the leaders for the Community Executive, aspires to be the replacement of Sassoli in the middle of the legislature, within two years and a half, as part of the agreement in the distribution of high positions in the EU. Short biography of Sassoli Born in Florence in 1956, Sassoli received journalism training before dedicating himself to politics. His first works were for written media, including ‘Il Giornale’, beginning his television career in 1992 at RAI, where he would become deputy director of the first edition of the newscast between 2006 and 2009. That year, he was elected MEP by the Democratic Party , of which would be his head of ranks in the Eurocamara that legislature. In 2013 he tried, without success, to be a candidate for his party for Mayor of Rome, after which he would be reelected to the European Parliament in 2014. In the last legislature, Sassoli was one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament.
