Mourners in Rome pay last respects to Italian activist Emma Bonino

Hundreds of mourners lined up outside Rome's city hall on Sunday to pay their final respects to prominent Italian politician and human rights activist Emma Bonino, who passed away on Friday at the age of 78. The Carabinieri honor guard escorted her casket into the building, where Riccardo Magi, secretary of Europa—the party she founded in 2017—placed a European flag on the coffin alongside a photo of Bonino wearing a black headscarf.

The first to enter the hall was a woman carrying a sunflower, followed by Caterina Borelli, an artist from Rome. Borelli expressed her admiration for Bonino, stating, "She has been so important for all women and for the evolution of the feminist movement in Italy." Flavia D’Andrea Matteo, a psychoanalyst from Rome, echoed similar sentiments, praising Bonino as "a very courageous example for all of us."

Bonino's political career spanned over five decades, during which she served as a European commissioner under Silvio Berlusconi and co-founded the death penalty watchdog Hands Off Cain. In 2015, she openly battled lung cancer while continuing her political activities, wearing brightly colored scarves on her head. Despite her struggles, Bonino remained an influential figure in Italian politics, securing significant achievements both domestically and internationally.

She played a crucial role in shaping the EU's consumer protection policy and created the European Commission Humanitarian Office, which now serves as the primary European humanitarian agency.

Magi emphasized Bonino's dedication to reforming Europe and establishing it as a federal, United States of Europe. As the line of mourners wound its way across the city hall piazza, Riccarda Meloni, a longtime friend, held a red rose. She recounted their shared battles in the 1990s, describing Bonino as "a great friend" and "a great ally in those extraordinary fights." Bonino will be laid to rest in a state funeral on Tuesday.