Umberto Bossi, co-founder of Italy’s far-right ruling party Lega (League), has died at the age of 84 in a hospital in Varese, northern Italy, his party announced on Thursday.
Bossi founded the separatist Lega Nord (Northern League) party in 1989. The party later evolved into the right-wing populist Lega, which is now part of the Italian government in Rome.
His political career was closely tied to the rise of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, although the two often clashed.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described Bossi as a figure who shaped an important chapter in Italy’s history, crediting him with helping form the country’s first centre-right coalition, in a message on X.
