Emma Bonino Hospitalized in Rome with Respiratory Failure

Emma Bonino, the 78 year old leader of +Europa and former Italian minister, was rushed to the Santo Spirito hospital in Rome on Monday evening. She was transported by ambulance in code red, the most serious emergency level, following a worsening of her respiratory function. Her attending physician, Claudio Santini, stated that while she is experiencing respiratory failure, she remains conscious and lucid. Medical staff are currently monitoring her parameters and conducting further tests.

Bonino has a significant medical history involving a small cell lung cancer, known as microcitoma, diagnosed in 2015. She underwent years of chemotherapy and announced the successful conclusion of her treatments in 2023. She had been hospitalized at the same facility in late 2025 for a metabolic issue, which doctors at the time confirmed was not a recurrence of the cancer.

Reports on the event vary slightly in focus. A center leaning source emphasized her lifelong legacy as a feminist, a champion of human rights, and her international diplomatic career as a European Commissioner. A center right leaning source focused more on the clinical details of her condition and included reactions from political figures, such as Carlo Calenda of the Azione party, who expressed his support on social media.