Renowned Italian alterglobalist philosopher Toni Negri, former leader of extreme left movements, passed away in Paris at the age of 90, as confirmed by his wife, philosopher Judith Revel.
Toni Negri, leader of the Workers’ Power and then Workers’ Autonomy movements in the 1970s, was considered one of the main thinkers of the Italian extreme left. He was arrested in April 1979 and later convicted for “subversive association and formation of an armed band” after clashes between militants and the police in Milan between 1973 and 1977.
Elected as a deputy in 1983 on the list of the Radical Party (libertarian right) led by Marco Pannella, Negri used his parliamentary immunity to flee to France. After 14 years in exile, he returned to Italy in July 1997 to face the judicial system, achieving semi-liberty two years later.
In recent years, Negri had supported labor movements, including the striking employees of SNCF in 2018 and those mobilized against pension reform in 2019. Judith Revel emphasized that he continued to work and take positions until the end.
Toni Negri’s death is a loss for the philosophical and political world. He remained an influential figure throughout his life, expressing his views and engaging in political and social issues until the very end. His legacy will continue to resonate in the realm of philosophy and activism.
