Emma Bonino has died aged 78.
The founder of More Europe, a longtime leading figure in Italy's Radical Party and former government minister, passed away after her health deteriorated in recent weeks.
Bonino had recently been admitted to the Santo Spirito hospital in Rome after a respiratory crisis. She arrived in critical condition and was transferred to intensive care so that her condition could be monitored. After an initial improvement, on 10 September, she left the ward and was moved to a private facility.
In 2015, Bonino revealed she had a tumour in her left lung. She underwent treatment for years while remaining active in politics. In 2023, she announced that she had overcome the disease.
In the following years, however, new health problems emerged. In autumn 2024, she was admitted to hospital in Rome for respiratory issues and, in November 2025, she suffered another serious episode that required admission to intensive care. On that occasion, doctors ruled out a recurrence of the cancer, instead identifying a metabolic problem.
