At the time of his death, Buonanno was mayor of Borgosesia and member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Lega Nord.

Buonanno died at the age of 50 in 2016 in a car accident in Gorla Maggiore, province of Varese.

[1][2] His funeral was held in the parish church of Serravalle Sesia, where Lega Nord leader Matteo Salvini was also present.

[3] Buonanno was known for having shown attitudes typical of Italian far-right politics and generating controversy and public uproar.

"[5] In April 2014, Buonanno had waved a sea bass in the Italian Parliament arguing that, unlike immigrants who he claimed were kept in luxury hotels, pensioners cannot afford it, and invited the then Chambers of Deputies president Laura Boldrini to eat it.