Umberto Bossi, Italian Political Firebrand and Northern League Founder, Dies at 84
Umberto Bossi, Italian Political Firebrand and Northern League Founder, Dies at 84
- •Umberto Bossi, founder of Italy’s populist Northern League and influential political figure, died aged 84.
- •President Sergio Mattarella praised him as a “passionate political leader,” while Premier Giorgia Meloni noted his “fundamental contribution” to Italy’s centre-right coalition.
- •Bossi reshaped Italy’s post-war landscape, channelling northern taxpayers' frustrations into a populist movement for autonomy.
- •His slogan “Roma ladrona” (Thieving Rome) became a rallying cry against the central, corrupted state.
- •He transformed the Northern League into a key national force, serving twice as minister and leaving an indelible mark on Italian politics despite a complex legacy.
