Former education minister and Democratic Party (PD) Senator Valeria Fedeli died at the age of 76 on Wednesday.
Originally a kindergarten teacher, Fedeli rose through the ranks of the CGIL trade union before being elected to the Upper House for the centre-left PD in 2013.
She was among the founders of the 'Se Non Ora Quando' ( 'If Not Now When') feminist movement that developed in response to the Rubygate sex scandal involving late ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi.
She served as education minister in the government of ex-premier Paolo Gentiloni from 2016 to the 2018.
PD leader Elly Schlein said her passing was "enormous loss for the entire democratic community".
