Sharon Ellul-Bonici
Sharon Ellul-Bonici | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 August 1970 |
| Died | c. 31 August 2025 (aged 55) |
| Party | Partit Laburista |
| Other political affiliations | |
| Spouse | Kevin Ellul-Bonici |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Andy Ellul (brother) |
| Alma mater | University of Leicester |
Sharon Ellul-Bonici (2 August 1970 – c. 31 August 2025) was a Maltese Eurosceptic politician.
Background
Ellul-Bonici was born on 2 August 1970,[1] and was the sister of fellow Labour politician Andy Ellul.
Sharon was married to Kevin Ellul Bonici.[2] The couple had three sons – Stevey, Jamie, and Zakk. Zakk died in Maastricht in September 2020 at the age of 24.[3] Stevey stood as a candidate in the 2022 Maltese general election in the Sixth and Third Districts for ABBA.[4]
Ellul-Bonici died in August 2025, at the age of 55. Her death was announced by her brother Andy.[5]
Career
Sharon Ellul-Bonici was a member of the soft eurosceptic Malta Labour Party. She tried to obtain her party's endorsement as a candidate for the 2004 European Parliament election, but was turned down for her hard eurosceptic links. Ellul-Bonici was at the time active in pan-European organisations such as No2EU and TEAM. The party's vigilance board feared that – once elected – she could join Europe of Democracies and Diversities rather than the PES group.[6]
For the 2009 EU election she was fielded on the Labour Party list,[7] but was not elected to the European Parliament.
She was the founding secretary-general of the European Alliance for Freedom, a Eurosceptic pan-European party, established in late 2010, and led by former UKIP europarliamentarian Godfrey Bloom.[8]
Controversy
In September 2015, Ellul-Bonici caused controversy when she made a Facebook comment saying "suspend Schengen, armies out on European frontiers and shoot to kill. That's the only temporary solution".[9] Her comments were criticised by human rights NGO Aditus Foundation and its director Neil Falzon.
References
- ^ "Biography". Times of Malta. Allied Newspapers Ltd. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
- ^ "Sharon, Kevin and the Socialists", Daphne Caruana Galizia's Notebook, 7 February 2009, retrieved 8 August 2011
- ^ Cilia, Johnathan (28 September 2020). "'No Mother Should Ever Endure Losing Her Child': Outpouring Of Grief After Maltese Youth's Death". Lovin Malta. Lovin Malta Ltd. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
- ^ "Electoral Commission of Malta Elezzjoni Ġenerali 2022 - Nominazzjonijiet 05/03 AM". electoral.gov.mt. Electoral Commission Malta. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
- ^ Malta, Times of (31 August 2025). "Sharon Ellul Bonici, former MEP candidate, dies aged 55". Times of Malta. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
- ^ Sansone, Kurt (16 November 2003), "MLP vigilance board stops Sharon Ellul Bonici's Euro election bid", Malta Today, archived from the original on 7 July 2012, retrieved 8 August 2011
- ^ Calleja, Claudia (15 February 2009), "Sharon Ellul Bonici launches MEP campaign", The Sunday Times (Times of Malta), retrieved 8 August 2011
- ^ About EAF Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Eurallfree.org. Retrieved on 8 August 2011.
- ^ Schembri Orland, Kevin (17 September 2015). "Ellul Bonici calls for 'temporary shoot to kill policy', then says she has nothing against refugees - The Malta Independent". www.independent.com.mt. Standard Publications Ltd. Retrieved 31 August 2025.