Sassoli

The European Parliament's president said Thursday that he will meet with incoming European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen later this month to discuss her contentious decision to nominate a commissioner responsible for "protecting our European Way of Life."

David-Maria Sassoli, an Italian member of the Socialists & Democrats bloc, has been elected as the next president of the European parliament after two rounds of voting in the Strasbourg-based legislature.

In the second round Sassoli received 345 votes, well over the absolute majority required from the 667 eligible votes.