Originally from Naples, she has lived in Madagascar, Canada, Hungary, and Portugal. She served as Italy’s Ambassador to Sweden (from 2013 to 2017) and to Belgium (from 2017 to 2021). She is the author of Una vita altrove (Newton Compton, 2014 – finalist for the Premio Roma); Miraggi (Castelvecchi, 2018); L’Occidente e il nemico permanente (Paperfirst, 2024); In famiglia (La nave di Teseo); Un insolito trio (La Lepre Edizioni, 2003); and in 2024, Frammenti di Bruxelles (Sandro Teti Editore, 2024). Elena Basile has often stirred controversy on Italian talk shows with her views on the Middle East and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Her ability to spark debates, combined with her extensive knowledge of international affairs, has made her a prominent figure for many media outlets and political commentators.