Simona Mafai De Pasquale — Italian politician and cultural figure (1928–2019)

Early life and family

She was born in Rome on 5 July 1928 into an artistic family. Her parents, Mario Mafai and Antonietta Raphael, were active as painters and sculptors; their work and connections in Italy’s cultural circles shaped Simona Mafai De Pasquale’s early environment and public outlook. Biographical accounts often note the influence of this upbringing on her later activities.

Political career

Simona Mafai De Pasquale joined the Italian Communist Party, a major left-wing force in Italy during the post‑war decades. She was elected to the Senate for the legislature that ran from 1976 to 1979, participating in national parliamentary work during a period of intense political debate and social change. Records list her as a senator in that legislative term, where she represented her party’s positions within the upper chamber.

Personal life and associations

She was married to Pancrazio De Pasquale, a Sicilian politician who later served as president of the Sicilian Regional Assembly; their marriage lasted until his death in 1992. The couple’s lives connected mainland cultural circles and regional political life in Sicily, and their public roles were often noted in contemporary reports.

Death and legacy

Simona Mafai De Pasquale died on 16 June 2019 in Palermo at the age of 90. Reports stated the cause of death as a stroke. She is remembered in obituaries and biographical summaries as a figure who bridged artistic heritage and political service, representative of a generation of post‑war Italian public figures with roots in both culture and politics.

Key facts

• Born: 5 July 1928, Rome.
• Political affiliation: Italian Communist Party (PCI).
• Office: Senator, Legislature VII (elected 1976, served until 1979) — Senate of the Republic.
• Family: daughter of artists Mario Mafai and Antonietta Raphael; married to Pancrazio De Pasquale (d. 1992).
• Died: 16 June 2019 in Palermo from a stroke.