European Parliament President David Sassoli Dies aged 65

BRUSSELS/ROME (Reuters) - European Parliament President David Sassoli, an Italian socialist and former journalist, died on Tuesday in hospital in Italy, his spokesperson and office said. 

Mr Sassoli, 65, died at 01:15 (00:15 GMT), his spokesperson, Roberto Cuillo, said on Twitter.

Mr Sassoli had been admitted to hospital last month because of a "serious complication" related to his immune system, his office had said on Monday.

He had been president of the 705-seat parliament since July 2019. Mr Sassoli, whose term in the predominantly ceremonial role had been due to end this month, had said he would not run for re-election.

Maltese lawmaker Roberta Metsola, from the conservative European People's Party (EPP), is widely expected to be a candidate for the post.

European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen, who heads the European Union's executive body, paid tribute to Mr Sassoli, saying that she was deeply saddened by his death.

"David Sassoli was a compassionate journalist, an outstanding President of the European Parliament and, first & foremost, a dear friend", she said on Twitter.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Sassoli had urged Europeans to counter the "virus" of extreme nationalism and called for a reform of EU rules on migration and political asylum.

Due to illness, he had been unable to chair the Strasbourg-based parliament in recent weeks and had missed the European Commission's annual state of the union event in September.

He was stricken low with pneumonia in September 2021, forcing him to spend several weeks in hospital. He never regained full strength and had to return to hospital in December after suffering severe problems with his immune system.