Strasbourg, July 3 - Italian centre-left Democratic Party (PD) MEP David Sassoli on Wednesday made his pitch to become the next European Parliament president. Sassoli, 63, a former RAI State broadcaster journalist, is already one of the Strasbourg assembly's vice presidents. "I'm standing because I believe that Europe will be stronger only with a European Parliament able to play a more important role," he told the assembly ahead of a vote on the new president to replace centre-right Forza Italia (FI) President Antonio Tajani. "We must all, whatever our views, be committed to building the home of European democracy and this parliament must be the home of European democracy". Sassoli, who is backed by the European Socialist caucus, is one of the favourites for the job. He fell seven votes short of the majority needed to get the job in the first ballot. The other candidates are Ska Keller (Greens), Jan Zahradil (Conservatives ECR) and Sira Rego (Left GUE).