Live replay of the EP Plenary session on the Election of the President of the European Parliament, 9th parlimentary term, during the plenary week in Strasbourg (01-04/07/2019). Statement by David SASSOLI (S&D,IT) The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

vote

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

election of the President of the European Parliament (T)

EP Plenary session - Election of the President of the European Parliament: statement by David SASSOLI (S&D, IT)

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David-Maria SASSOLI (S&amp;D, IT), Thank you very much indeed President, Colleagues. I too am putting forward my nomination to be president of this Parliament and I am doing this because I think Europe needs to be stronger and can only be stronger if it has a parliament which is stronger and is able to play a more important role. We have got absolutely crucial decisions facing us in the foreseeable future we will have some difficult tests that we need to face.

We will need to stand up for the very future of the European Union and we can only address and tackle these challenges if we remain united united in our diversity and ready to do our absolute best in terms of our legislation on the budget and on holding institutions to account. I want together with you to be a member of this parliament who makes a difference who comes together with others so that united we can make that difference.

We can make the importance of Parliament and democracy more widely recognized and accepted. We all believe in the importance of parliament and its democratic rule and in its democratic future. We need to work together to construct the Democratic House of Europe. This is what its vocation is. It is the Democratic House of Europe and the elections have proven to be a success even we who are absolutely committed to the democracy.

If Europe did not imagine for one moment that there would be so many new electors new voters coming to the polls to vote to cast their ballot for the members of this Parliament and we have now a very high member number in a number of new members over 60 percent of new members who have been elected by the people of Europe they've given us a mandate because they believe in our institution they believe in democracy and they believe in free elections.

This is why they voted. And therefore we must not disappoint them. And this parliament and throughout this coming legislature we have got to be in the vanguard. We've got to be leading the necessary indeed the vital change to make Europe stronger and to modernize it. And we need to do this on the basis of trust mutual trust trust that has to be forged between the citizens and the institutions of Europe. And this is precisely where we need to set our standards high. This is where our ambition our focus and our courage comes into play because there are major challenges ahead of us.

There are major changes underway there are changes in terms of tackling climate urgency migration change social justice economic growth employment conditions quality of jobs equality of inclusion for all. If you are prepared to place your trust in me to be president of this Parliament then we will go forward together in our shared endeavours our shared battles to create a parliament that is more sustainable that is more accessible to our citizens.

And I will give my every commitment to ensure that this Parliament is fully respected and that it is respected by states and by institutions. You colleagues are here because you represent hope hope. You also represent the anger of our citizens to some extent. You represent the emotions of our people the feelings of our European people who have voted for you. I will always have my door open to discuss anything you wish with me. I will listen very attentively because I think it is absolutely vital that we listen to the discourse of Europe.

We need to listen to everybody we need to listen to the men to the women to the young people of Europe. And I want to listen to all these young people. I want them to be able to travel across Europe to get to know people from other countries to live to learn and to love together. We need to have a continent with open doors where we can live together in full respect of the diversity of others and in full respect of their cultures.

Everybody comes from a different background. Everybody has a different perception of the prerogatives of this house. Very often even in this house we don't recognize how important it is to protect our cherished independence. Nothing can be done if we don't fight for it. Nothing will last. Without institutions. So we need to fight and we need to defend our institutions and I think that Jean Monnet's lessons are more apposite today than ever before. Thank you very much.