Barbara Spinelli, journalist and former MEP, dies at 80

Barbara Spinelli, a prominent Italian journalist, essayist, and former Member of the European Parliament, has died in Rome at the age of 80.

As the daughter of Altiero Spinelli, a founding father of the European Union, and antifascist Ursula Hirschmann, Spinelli dedicated her career to European federalism, international politics, and civil rights. She was a founding member of the newspaper La Repubblica and contributed to several major publications, including Il Globo, Corriere della Sera, La Stampa, and Il Fatto Quotidiano.

In politics, she was elected to the European Parliament in 2014 with the L’Altra Europa con Tsipras list. During her mandate, which lasted until 2019, she served as Vice President of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and was a member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. She also participated in parliamentary delegations regarding relations with Russia and Israel.

Spinelli was a prolific author of essays focused on European identity and totalitarianism. Her family has requested that funeral services remain strictly private.