Barbara Spinelli (31 May 1946 – 7 October 2026) was an Italian politician.
Barbara Spinelli was the daughter of federalist political theorist Altiero Spinelli and Ursula Hirschmann, who was a German-Jewish anti-fascist activist.
From 2014 to 2019, Spinelli served as a Member of the European Parliament, representing Central Italy.
Spinelli was elected to represent The Other Europe, but left the alliance in May 2015, after declaring it a "failed project". She was one of the founders of the newspaper La Repubblica.
Spinelli was a member of the Advisory Panel of DiEM25.
Parliamentary service
Vice-chair, Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Personal life
She had three older maternal half-sisters (Silvia, Renata and Eva) from her mother's first marriage to Eugenio Colorni and two sisters (Diana and Sara). Her half-sister Eva Colorni, an economist, was married to a fellow Indian economist Amartya Sen from 1973 until her death in 1985. Another half-sister, Renata Colorni, is a translator.
Spinelli died on 7 October 2026, at the age of 80.
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