Emma Bonino has died, farewell to the historic radical leader who shaped Italian politics with her battles for civil rights.

Emma Bonino , one of the most influential and recognizable figures in Italian politics in recent decades, has died in Rome at the age of 78. A historic figure of the radical movement, leader of Più Europa , a former minister, European Commissioner, and Italian and European Parliament member, Bonino spanned over fifty years of public history, waging battles for civil rights, individual freedom, women's self-determination, and the defense of the rule of law.

The news of her passing was announced by Più Europa , which remembered its leader, calling her one of the “most lucid, courageous and free” protagonists in Italian and international political history.

Bonino was admitted to Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome on September 7th after a respiratory crisis. Her condition immediately appeared delicate: after an initial improvement, she began to deteriorate further, requiring her transfer to intensive care. In the final hours, she was transferred to a private facility, as agreed between Santo Spirito doctors and her primary care physician.

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More Europe: "Emma has left us, but she will never leave us."

The memory of the party she helped found was entrusted to an emotional note. "Emma has left us, but she will never leave us," read the message released by Più Europa.

"Not only has our leader left us, but one of the most lucid, courageous, and free-spirited protagonists in the political history of our country and the free world has left us," the movement wrote, emphasizing how Bonino's life was a long battle against any form of restriction of freedom.

"Activist, parliamentarian, minister, European Commissioner. Always radically free," the statement continues, recalling her commitment to fighting illegal abortion, world hunger, female genital mutilation, genocide, authoritarianism, and any form of denial of fundamental rights.

According to Più Europa, Bonino's political legacy is represented by her defense of democracy, the rule of law, international justice, human rights, and the idea of ​​a united and federal Europe. "It doesn't matter how many times you have to lose before you can win and achieve freedom for all," is the message the party has proclaimed as her political testament.

Meloni: "A strong and recognizable voice in Italian politics."

Among the first messages of condolence came from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni , who recognized the historic importance of Emma Bonino while underlining the profound political differences between the two.

“For decades, Emma Bonino has been a strong and recognizable voice in Italian politics, pursuing her ideas with determination,” Meloni wrote.

“Our stories and our sensitivities have been distant, but this has never stopped me from recognizing their weight and role in the public life of our nation,” added the Prime Minister, expressing her closeness to his family and loved ones.

Numerous political figures from various political persuasions also remembered a figure capable of profoundly impacting the Italian and European public debate, often from counter-current positions but always characterized by strong personal consistency.

From radical battles to entering Parliament

Born in Bra, in the province of Cuneo, on 9 March 1948 , Emma Bonino approached politics in the 1970s, joining the radical movement and becoming one of the protagonists of the civil rights campaigns.

In 1976, she was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the first time on the Radical Party list, beginning a long institutional journey that would lead her to sit for many years in the Italian and European Parliaments.

During her years as a radical activist, she was a leading figure in the battles for divorce and the legalization of abortion. In 1975, she founded the Sterilization and Abortion Information Center , an experience that also led her to report herself for procured abortion, at a time when Italian law prohibited voluntary termination of pregnancy.

Those battles contributed to the long political and social journey that would lead to the reform of Italian legislation on women's rights.

The fight against world hunger and international commitment

Emma Bonino's political activity was not confined to national issues. In the 1980s, she expanded her commitment to the fight against world hunger and international humanitarian emergencies.

In 1978 he helped found Food and Disarmament International , an organization committed to raising awareness about hunger through global campaigns.

Between 1991 and 1993, he served as president of the Transnational Radical Party , bringing the movement to an international dimension. During those years, he also addressed the crises in the Balkans and the defense of human rights, championing the creation of international instruments against war crimes.

The European Commissioner was a protagonist in the humanitarian crises of the 1990s

One of the most important moments in Bonino's political career came in 1994, when she was appointed European Commissioner in the Commission led by Jacques Santer.

Until 1999 he was responsible for humanitarian aid, fisheries, consumer policy, consumer health protection and food safety.

During his European mandate, he addressed some of the major humanitarian emergencies of the 1990s, from the crises in the Balkans to the conflict situations that caused millions of refugees and displaced persons.

Her European role consolidated her international image, making her one of the best-known Italian figures in the Community institutions.

Minister in the Prodi government and head of the Farnesina with Letta

In 2006, Emma Bonino returned to government, joining the second government led by Romano Prodi as Minister for International Trade and European Policies.

She was subsequently elected Vice President of the Senate, before taking up the post of Foreign Minister in the government led by Enrico Letta in 2013.

At the Farnesina, he mainly dealt with international politics, European relations, and diplomatic crises, maintaining his historic approach based on the defense of human rights and multilateralism.

The birth of Più Europa and the final political phase

In the last years of her career, Bonino was one of the founders of Più Europa , a group born from the meeting between the Italian Radicals and other liberal and pro-European groups.

The political project had as its central objectives the defense of European integration, the rule of law, individual liberties and a greater federal integration of the European Union.

In recent years, Bonino had continued to intervene in public debate, opposing sovereignism and defending a pro-European vision of Italian politics.

Illness and return to public life

In 2015, Emma Bonino announced she had lung cancer in her left lung. The diagnosis ushered in a new phase in her life, which she addressed publicly with great transparency.

During his treatment, he continued his political commitment, explaining that he did not want to give up his activity and repeatedly stressing that he did not identify with the illness.

In 2023, he announced the successful completion of treatment and his recovery from cancer. In the years that followed, however, he faced other health problems, culminating in his hospitalization in September 2026 for the respiratory crisis that caused his death.