Italy held a state ceremony for David SASSOLI, President of the European Parliament, who died early Tuesday at the age of 65. The ceremony took place at the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Rome. A delegation including Roberta METSOLA, acting EP President, Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council, Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission, and the Group Leaders of the European Parliament were present to honour his memory.

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

GUALTIERI, Roberto (S&D, IT)

ceremony

DRAGHI, Mario (IT)

KELLER, Ska (Greens/EFA, DE)

Rome

MICHEL, Charles (BE)

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

MATTARELLA, Sergio (IT)

SCHIRDEWAN, Martin (The Left, DE)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

FICO, Roberto (IT)

president's agenda

State funeral ceremony for David SASSOLI, EP President: extracts from the ceremony and statements

External shots and funeral wreaths (14 shots)

Arrival of wife and children of David Sassoli

Arrival of Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission; Charles MICHEL, President of the European Council and Roberta METSOLA, acting EP President and EP delegation (6 shots)

Arrival of Nicola Zingaretti, President of Lazio; Paolo Gentiloni, EU Commissioner for Economy; Roberto Fico, President  of Italian Chamber of Deputies; Roberto GUALTIERI, Mayor of Roma; Mario GRAGHI, Prime Minister of Italy; Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), The ceremony, it was extremely moving because we lost a friend and the European Union is losing a real European, a Democrat, who fought for the European Parliament institution in extremely difficult times with the pandemic and has successfully kept it working. The death of David Sassoli comes as a shock to all of us. That is why we are all even more moved that he was taken out of life, in his prime, during his term of office as President of Parliament of the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE), I will remember him as a very, very gentle and generous person, someone who was very much down to Earth and always so ready for friendship and so open minded and, you know, not at all far away, detached or anything. So really a president. So he was really trying to be there for all his members and taking care of every issue. That's how I remember him. Remember him as a president who really saw that his position meant so much, not as a position, but for all the members of the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHIRDEWAN (The Left, DE), David Sassoli was a very committed president of the European Parliament, who, with compassion and passion, fought for Europe and European people and European democracy. And this will also be his legacy. And he knew by heart that the European integration was also based in the devastation that had been caused by nationalism and fascism. So he was a relentless and very passionate and determined fighter for European democracy, and this is how I will remember him as a friend and as a Democrat.