Bossi began his political career in earnest when he founded the Lega Nord in the late 1980s. The anti-immigration party pursued its policies for several years, including advocating that northern Italy break away from the poorer southern part of the country.
He often allied himself with Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia, but the friction between the two leaders was at times fierce, even when they served in the same government.
Bossi served in the Italian parliament for nearly 30 years but was forced to leave the party's leadership in 2012 after allegations of corruption.
The Lega Nord is still in the Italian government today, now under its new name Lega. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a comment that Bossi has played a crucial role in modern Italian right-wing politics.
