Emma Bonino

Awards & Honours

Awards Won

Honours

Records

Bonino's record is unusual for a politician who never led a large party. She was elected to the Chamber of Deputies six times and to the Senate twice, served in the European Parliament, and held two Italian ministries plus a European Commission portfolio. She was the first woman to serve as Italy's foreign minister. Her most consequential achievement, the 1978 abortion law, changed the lives of millions of Italian women and became a model for campaigns elsewhere in southern Europe. She was honored with a state funeral in Rome, attended by the president, the prime minister and European officials, and her name remains shorthand in Italy for the fight for civil liberties.

AwardsBonino received honorary doctorates from several universities for her work on human rights and democracy, and was recognized by European institutions for her service as Commissioner and her advocacy for federalism. International human rights organizations honored her as a leading campaigner, and Italy granted her a state funeral, a distinction reserved for the country's most significant public figures.

Honours & Distinctions

State Funeral of the Italian Republic

Government of Italy·2026

A state funeral held at Rome City Hall on September 14, 2026, attended by President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Honorary Doctorate

Various universities·2000

Honorary degrees awarded for contributions to human rights and democracy.

Recognition by the European Parliament

European Parliament·2026

The European Parliament formally bid farewell to Bonino with tributes from across the political groups.

Records & Feats

First woman to serve as Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs

Historic First·2013

Appointed foreign minister in 2013 in the Letta government, the first woman to hold the post in Italian history.