>>>ANSA/Groundbreaking campaigner, politician Emma Bonino dies

>>>ANSA/Groundbreaking campaigner, politician Emma Bonino dies

By Paul Virgo (ANSA) - ROME, 11 SET - Groundbreaking Italian civil and women's rights campaigner and Radical politician Emma Bonino has died, her More Europe (+Europa) party said on Friday. The former Italian foreign minister and former European Commissioner was 78. Premier Giorgia Meloni said that the government was preparing a State funeral for her. "Emma Bonino and I held very different views," Meloni told reporters in Vercelli. "But that never stopped me from respecting her expertise, her authoritativeness, and her understanding that a woman's role in society—including in politics—is never something you wait for others to grant you; it is something you must play your part in taking. "You should not view it as a concession, but always as an achievement. "We agreed on that". The historic Italian Radical coleader (with Marco Pannella) and More Europe founder, who was once tipped to become Italy's first female president, had been admitted to Rome's Santo Spirito hospital in code red on Sunday after suffering a respiratory crisis. Sources close to her said Thursday that she had left Santo Spirito's intensive care and been taken to a private clinic. Three years ago Bonino said she had gone into remission after suffering lung cancer. Bonino was elected eight times to the Italian parliament, six times to the Lower House and twice to Senator, and served four times as an MEP. She was at the heart of many of the Radical party's biggest civil-rights battles in Italy, including the campaigns for divorce and abortion in the 1970s. She became one of the Italian women politicians best-known abroad thanks to her stint as the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection between 1995 and 1999. She was minister for trade and European affairs under Romano Prodi between 2006 and 2008 and foreign minister under Enrico Letta between 2013 and 2014. Italian President and ex-premier and former European Commission president Prodi was among the figures to pay tribute to Bonino. "She left an indelible mark on the life of the Republic through her tenacious, consistent commitment," Mattarella said in a statement. "A Radical, a liberal, a feminist, and a staunch pro-European, she played a leading role in movements and reforms that shaped the course of our society. "Serving as a parliamentarian, party leader, Minister for European Affairs and later Foreign Minister, and European Commissioner, Emma Bonino was a figure of reference far beyond Italy's borders; her efforts to combat world hunger and the death penalty, and her advocacy for the International Criminal Court, were sources of pride for the Republic. Prodi said he "learned of Emma Bonino's passing with great sorrow. "We spent years of intense, passionate work together; loyalty and candour always prevailed between us, even during moments of disagreement, so much so that our collaboration blossomed into friendship," he added. "It was a friendship that fostered an enduring exchange of views, transcending our political endeavours and our differences. "Private yet strong, Emma spoke to me about her illness during our final phone calls, yet never with self-pity or a sense of victimhood. "She was a passionate, determined Europeanist who championed human rights with unforgettable tenacity; today, our country has lost a woman of great intelligence". In an interview with Sky TG24, Prodi added that Bonino was fun to talk to and that she was saddened by the current state of the political world. Another centre-left ex-premier, Enrico Letta, described her as "unique, unforgettable. "Thank you for everything," Letta, who chose Bonino to be his foreign minister between 2013 and 2014, said on social media. "Italy and Europe owe you so much, so very much. "We all owe you so much. It is hard, truly hard, to imagine a world without you". European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said Bonino "never waited for the world to be ready. "She always chose to move forward, showing the way to others," she continued. "That is how she will be remembered in Italy and in Brussels, where she served as a Member of the European Parliament and as a European Commissioner. "The Europe she fought for will miss her". Bonino also had a good relationship and rapport with late pope Francis. It was November 5, 2024, when Francis paid surprise visit to Bonino, who was already ill. Both were in wheelchairs, like two old friends serenely sharing their frailty in a moment that was deeply private and far removed from the cameras. The Pope had brought chocolates and flowers—as one does when visiting a friend—setting aside all protocol and formality. He had entered the home saying "cerea!"—the traditional Piedmontese greeting—to highlight their shared roots. He then told her she was "an example of freedom and resilience." And when Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, Bonino shared a photo of that historic meeting on social media: "I will forever cherish, with deep gratitude, the emotion of our final meeting, when he surprised me with a visit during a particularly grueling phase of my illness, instilling courage and hope in me." (ANSA). Read article...