Emma Bonino, a pivotal figure in Italian politics renowned for her leadership in campaigns that legalized abortion and divorce in the 1970s, has died at the age of 78. Her party, +Europa, announced her death.
Bonino's life was characterized by a consistent fight for individual freedoms, addressing issues ranging from clandestine abortions and world hunger to female genital mutilation and authoritarianism. Her political career spanned more than five decades, during which she served as a European commissioner and co-founded the death penalty watchdog Hands Off Cain. Despite a failed bid to become Italy's first female president in 1999, she remained an influential political pundit known for her sharp intellect.
Born on March 9, 1948, Bonino's early political engagement stemmed from a desire to reform Italian law. At 26, she underwent an abortion when the procedure was illegal, an experience she later described as deeply humiliating. In 1975, she co-founded the Information Center for Sterilization and Abortion, an organization that provided information and services before legalization.
The following year, she was elected to the Italian parliament as a member of the Radical Party, a group known for its opposition to the establishment and the Catholic Church's influence, advocating for anticlericalism, civil libertarianism, feminism, and liberalism. The legalization of abortion in 1978 marked a significant victory, solidifying Bonino's path in politics.
Throughout her legislative career, Bonino served multiple terms in both the Lower House and the Senate. In 2017, she assumed leadership of +Europa, a liberal, European federalist party. Her tenure as a European commissioner, appointed by Premier Silvio Berlusconi in 1995, saw her shape EU consumer protection policy and establish the European Commission Humanitarian Office, a crucial arm for European humanitarian aid. She often traveled to conflict zones, advocating for humanitarian assistance to be coupled with political and military intervention.
Bonino also dedicated herself to advancing women's rights, becoming fluent in Arabic and building a network in Cairo to support equality among Arab women. Although never married, she maintained close family ties.
In 2015, Bonino announced her diagnosis with lung cancer, undergoing chemotherapy while continuing her political activities. By 2023, she reported being cancer-free. She maintained a friendship with Pope Francis, who visited her in Rome in November 2024. During their conversations, Francis reportedly encouraged her humanitarian endeavors.
Bonino is survived by her siblings, Domenica and Giovanni, and their children.