Rita Borsellino was an Italian Sicilian anti-Mafia activist, politician and, between 2009 and 2014, a Member of the European Parliament for the Democratic Party.
11 Facts About Rita Borsellino
2.
In July 1992 her brother, Judge Paolo Rita Borsellino, was killed by the Mafia in a bomb explosion.
3.
Rita Borsellino began to organise and participate in events such as public debates, rallies and protests against organised crime.
4.
Rita Borsellino was active in the peace movement, attending international peace conferences in 2000 and 2002.
5.
Rita Borsellino was backed by the Democrats of the Left, being eventually supported by all the coalition parties, except the Daisy who presented another candidate.
6.
Rita Borsellino was the first Sicilian woman nominated for the presidency of the Sicilian region, and attracted the highest ever number of votes for a candidate from The Union.
7.
On 4 March 2012 Rita Borsellino ran in a centre-left open primary for the seat of Mayor of Palermo, with support from the Democratic Party, Left Ecology, Freedom, the Federation of the Left, the Greens and Italy of Values.
8.
Rita Borsellino was defeated in the election by independent candidate Fabrizio Ferrandelli.
9.
Rita Borsellino continued to serve as an MEP and was on a special parliamentary commission on organised crime, corruption and money laundering.
10.
Rita Borsellino has received honorary citizenship of Florence, Offanengo, Massa Lombarda and Crevalcore.
11.
Rita Borsellino died at the Civic Hospital in Palermo on 15 August 2018 after a long illness.