European Parliament President David Sassoli has died at the age of 65, BBC has cited his spokesman as saying. 

Foreign media reports that an Italian former journalist and centre-left politician had been seriously ill for more than two weeks and canceled all official activities.

Sassoli was admitted to hospital in Italy last month due to a serious complication with his immune system.

He died in the early hours of Tuesday in a hospital in Aviano, his spokesman, Roberto Cuillo has tweeted.

In September, Mr Sassoli was taken to hospital in Strasbourg where he was treated for a severe case of pneumonia. He resumed his political duties in November, BBC said.