the leadership of successive chairmen Enrique Barón Crespo (1999-2004), Martin Schulz (2004-2012) and Hannes Swoboda (2012-2014). Pittella served as one of the 14 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament from 14 July 2009 to 1 July 2014. Following the 2014 elections, on 6 June 2014, he was elected with 96 percent of the votes as the President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, the second largest political group at the European Parliament and the only one with members from all 28 EU member states. In addition to his committee assignments and party functions, Pittella served on the Parliament's delegation. He was previously a member of the delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo (2009-2014); with Australia and New Zealand (2002-2004); and with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (1999-2002). In 2016, Pittella attended the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia to watch the nomination of Hillary Clinton. Italian elections, 2018 In the 2018 general election in Italy, Pittella was elected to the Italian Senate, having been invited to stand by Democratic Party chairman Matteo Renzi. He subsequently resigned as leader of the S&D Group. Other activities Fondation européenne d'études progressistes (FEPS), Ex-Officio Member of the Bureau Recognition Honorary citizen of the City of Buenos Aires Personal life Besides his political work, Gianni is the author of several books on the future and challenges of the European project such as a Brief History of the Future of the United States of Europe (2013). He is also a visiting professor at the University of East Anglia's London Academy of Diplomacy. Gianni Pittella is married and has two children. In September 2013 Pittella's younger brother, Marcello, whose political trajectory is very similar to that of Gianni, won the centre-left primary for the Presidency of Basilicata. In November he was elected President by a landslide. Career Here is a summary of Pittella's biography: Graduate in Medicine, specialization in Forensic pathology Member of the Italian Socialist Party, regional secretary of Young Socialists in Basilicata 1979: Municipal councillor in Lauria (Italian Socialist Party) 1980: Member of the Regional Council of Basilicata (Italian Socialist Party) 1996: Member of the Chamber of Deputies (Labour Federation) 1999: Member of the European Parliament (Democrats of the Left, Democratic Party) 2009: Vice President of the European Parliament 2014: President of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Controversies In 2012, Pittella introduced, in Brussels, Simona Mangiante to Joseph