Maverick Italian politician Marco Pannella dies

Marco Pannella, the maverick radical politician who was crucial to Italian post-war campaigns to legalise abortion and other social change, has died aged 86.

Radio Radicale, the radio station of Mr Pannella’s Radical Party, announced the death yesterday.

Pannella, who was known for his frequent hunger strikes, anti-church positions and sit-ins, had been in hospital at a Rome clinic in recent days.