Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Dies at 86
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister and media tycoon, died at the age of 86.
He had been admitted to San Raffaele hospital in Milan on Friday, and while there were no official reports on his health, Corriere della Sera had previously claimed that his condition was "very serious."
According to RAI broadcaster, the children of the Forza Italia party leader arrived at the hospital shortly before news of his death emerged.
Berlusconi had been diagnosed with leukemia and had previously been hospitalized in April for breathing problems, spending 45 days there while battling a lung infection. Doctors described his cancer as "not acute."
During his political career, Berlusconi served as Italy's prime minister in four different governments between 1994 and 1995, 2001 and 2006, and from 2008 to 2011. This made him the country's longest-serving premier since the dictator Benito Mussolini.
As a prominent media figure, Berlusconi founded the Mediaset television group and owned AC Milan football club from 1986 to 2017.
Throughout his political and business journey, Berlusconi faced over 30 trials for alleged crimes ranging from abuse of office and defamation to links with the mafia.
Earlier this year, he was acquitted in the "Ruby" trial, which involved accusations of bribing witnesses in a previous case that had accused him of paying for sex with an underage prostitute. He was found not guilty of those charges back in 2014.
In 2013, Berlusconi was banned from holding public office after receiving a four-year prison sentence for tax fraud. The ban was lifted in 2018, and he became a member of the European Parliament (MEP) the following year.
Berlusconi announced his electoral comeback in Italy last year, winning a Senate seat in September after Mario Draghi's government collapsed.
His Forza Italia party secured 45 seats in the snap election, forming part of a center-right coalition with the Brothers of Italy party of current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Lega Nord (Northern League), and Us Moderates.
"An era is over," remarked Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto upon Berlusconi's passing. In a tweet, he expressed that Berlusconi's death left a "huge void" and that he "loved" the former prime minister "very much."
Matteo Salvini, leader of the Lega Nord party, stated that "a great Italian decided to say goodbye to us" and requested a minute of silence to commemorate Berlusconi's passing.
