Silvio Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi
Berlusconi in 2010
Silvio Berlusconi
Born	29 9, 1936
Birthplace	Milan, Kingdom of Italy
Died	Template:Death date and age Milan, Italy
Nationality	Italian
Occupation	Politician, businessman, media proprietor
Title	Prime Minister of Italy
Known for	Three-time Prime Minister of Italy; founder of Forza Italia; controlling shareholder of Mediaset; owner of AC Milan (1986–2017)
Spouse(s)	Carla Dall'Oglio (m. 1965; div. 1985), Veronica Lario (m. 1990; div. 2014)
Children	5
Awards	Order of Merit for Labour (resigned 2014)

Silvio Berlusconi (29 September 1936 – 12 June 2023) was an Italian media magnate, businessman, and politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy across three separate governments: from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2006, and from 2008 to 2011. Over the course of a political career spanning nearly three decades, Berlusconi became one of the most dominant and divisive figures in modern Italian politics. He held a seat in the Chamber of Deputies from 1994 to 2013, served in the European Parliament from 2019 to 2022, and returned to the Senate of the Republic in 2022, a position he held until his death in June 2023. Beyond politics, Berlusconi built an extensive business empire centred on the media conglomerate Mediaset, and he owned the football club AC Milan from 1986 to 2017. He founded and led the centre-right political party Forza Italia for most of its existence. Nicknamed Il Cavaliere ("The Knight") after receiving the Order of Merit for Labour, Berlusconi accumulated nine years as prime minister in total, making him the longest-serving post-war prime minister of Italy and the third-longest-serving since Italian unification, after Benito Mussolini and Giovanni Giolitti. His tenure was marked by significant economic reforms, extensive involvement in international diplomacy including hosting three G8 summits, and persistent legal controversies culminating in a 2013 conviction for tax fraud. He died on 12 June 2023 from complications of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and was given a state funeral.

Early Life

Silvio Berlusconi was born on 29 September 1936 in Milan, Italy. He grew up in a middle-class Milanese family during a period of considerable political and social upheaval in Italy, spanning the final years of the Fascist regime, World War II, and the subsequent establishment of the Italian Republic. Details of his childhood and adolescent years reflect the experiences common to many Italians of his generation who came of age during Italy's post-war economic reconstruction.

As a young man, Berlusconi demonstrated entrepreneurial ambition and a keen interest in commerce. He reportedly engaged in various small business endeavours during his youth, including working as an entertainer on cruise ships, where he sang and performed. These early experiences foreshadowed the combination of showmanship and business acumen that would characterize both his corporate and political careers in later decades.

Berlusconi rose into the financial elite of Italy beginning in the late 1960s, initially through real estate development in the Milan area. His early ventures in construction and property development provided the capital and business relationships that would allow him to expand into the media sector, which would become the foundation of his fortune and public influence.

Career

Business Empire and Mediaset

Berlusconi's entry into Italian business began with real estate development, but his most consequential commercial achievement was the creation of a media empire that fundamentally reshaped the Italian broadcasting landscape. He became the controlling shareholder of Mediaset, which grew into one of the largest commercial broadcasting companies in Europe. Mediaset's television networks became central to Italian popular culture and provided Berlusconi with a platform of influence that extended well beyond the business world.

The establishment of Berlusconi's media dominance was closely intertwined with Italian political developments. His television empire expanded significantly during the 1980s, a period during which regulatory frameworks governing private broadcasting in Italy were still being established. The relationship between media ownership and political power in Italy, particularly as embodied by Berlusconi, became a subject of extensive domestic and international scrutiny. The documentary Videocracy examined aspects of the cultural impact of Berlusconi's television networks on Italian society.

In addition to his media holdings, Berlusconi purchased the football club AC Milan in 1986. Under his ownership, the club experienced a period of significant sporting success, winning multiple domestic and European titles. He retained ownership of the club until 2017, when it was sold to a Chinese-led investment consortium. At the time of his death in 2023, Berlusconi's net worth was estimated at US$6.8 billion by Forbes, making him the 352nd-richest person in the world and the third-wealthiest in Italy.

Entry into Politics and First Government (1994–1995)

Berlusconi entered Italian politics in 1994, a period of profound political transformation following the Tangentopoli corruption scandals that had dismantled much of the post-war Italian party system. He founded the centre-right political party Forza Italia, named after a popular football chant, and positioned it as a vehicle for liberal-conservative politics and free-market economics.

Berlusconi won the 1994 general election at the head of a centre-right coalition and became Prime Minister of Italy. His first government, however, proved short-lived. Internal coalition tensions, particularly disagreements with the Lega Nord, led to the collapse of his government in 1995 after less than a year in office. He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1994 and would continue to serve as a parliamentarian for nearly two decades.

Second Government (2001–2006)

Berlusconi returned to power following the 2001 general election, beginning a five-year term as prime minister that was the longest continuous government in the history of the Italian Republic at the time. His second government pursued a range of economic and legislative reforms. During this period, Berlusconi also engaged in active international diplomacy.

Berlusconi's second government addressed matters of foreign policy that reflected Italy's position within the European Union and NATO, including Italy's stance on Turkey's potential EU membership. His tenure coincided with significant international events, including the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War, during which Italy aligned itself with the United States-led coalition.

The 2001–2006 government was also marked by legislative activity related to Italy's domestic legal and judicial systems. Berlusconi and his supporters argued that judicial reform was necessary, while critics contended that some legislative proposals were designed to benefit Berlusconi personally in his ongoing legal disputes. His government ended following defeat in the 2006 general election, in which Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition won a narrow victory.

Third Government (2008–2011)

Berlusconi was elected prime minister for a third time following the 2008 general election, succeeding Romano Prodi. He served under President Giorgio Napolitano and formed a government that would remain in power until November 2011. During this period, Berlusconi became the senior G8 leader and held the distinction of hosting three G8 summits in Italy, a record among G8 heads of government. In 2009, Forbes ranked him 12th on its list of the World's Most Powerful People.

A significant diplomatic achievement of the third government was the signing of a comprehensive treaty with Libya. In 2008, Berlusconi signed an agreement with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi that addressed the legacy of Italian colonialism in Libya and established frameworks for economic cooperation and immigration control. The agreement was ratified by the Italian parliament in 2009.

Berlusconi's third term in office was increasingly dominated by the European sovereign debt crisis, which struck Italy with particular severity beginning in 2010 and accelerating in 2011. As Italian government bond yields rose to unsustainable levels and international pressure mounted, Berlusconi faced a loss of parliamentary confidence. He resigned as prime minister on 12 November 2011 after the Italian parliament approved a package of austerity measures. He was succeeded by the technocratic government of Mario Monti, who was appointed by President Napolitano.

The People of Freedom and Party Leadership (2009–2013)

In 2009, Berlusconi oversaw the merger of Forza Italia with the National Alliance and other smaller centre-right parties into a new political formation called The People of Freedom (Il Popolo della Libertà). He served as leader of this party from 2009 to 2013. The merger was intended to consolidate the Italian centre-right into a single unified party, though internal divisions persisted throughout its existence.

Following his resignation as prime minister in November 2011, Berlusconi signalled his intention to remain active in Italian politics. Reports indicated that he planned a political comeback and considered running for prime minister again in the 2013 general election. He contested the 2013 election and, while his coalition did not win, he was elected to the Senate of the Republic.

Tax Fraud Conviction and Expulsion from Senate

On 1 August 2013, the Supreme Court of Cassation upheld Berlusconi's conviction for tax fraud, confirming a four-year prison sentence and a two-year ban on holding public office. Because he was aged 76 at the time of the conviction, Italian law exempted him from direct imprisonment; he instead served his sentence through unpaid community service. Three years of his sentence were automatically pardoned under existing Italian statutory provisions.

The conviction had significant political consequences. Because he had been sentenced to gross imprisonment for more than two years, Berlusconi was barred from holding legislative office for six years and was expelled from the Senate in November 2013. Despite this setback, Berlusconi pledged to remain the leader of Forza Italia, which he had re-established as a separate party following the dissolution of The People of Freedom in 2013.

Return to Elected Office (2019–2023)

After the expiration of his ban on holding public office, Berlusconi returned to electoral politics. He ran as a candidate in the 2019 European Parliament election and was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), serving from 2019 to 2022. This followed an earlier stint as an MEP from 1999 to 2001.

In the 2022 Italian general election, Berlusconi won a seat in the Senate of the Republic, returning to the Italian parliament as part of the centre-right coalition led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy. He served as a senator until his death in June 2023.

Personal Life

Berlusconi was married twice. His first marriage was to Carla Dall'Oglio in 1965; they divorced in 1985. He subsequently married Veronica Lario in 1990; their divorce was finalized in 2014. He had five children from his two marriages.

Berlusconi's personal life attracted significant media attention throughout his public career. His lifestyle, social gatherings, and personal relationships were the subject of extensive coverage in both Italian and international media. Various legal proceedings related to his personal conduct drew international attention and became intertwined with political debates about his fitness for office.

He received the Order of Merit for Labour, which earned him the nickname Il Cavaliere ("The Knight"). He voluntarily resigned from this honour in March 2014, following his tax fraud conviction and expulsion from the Senate.

Berlusconi was diagnosed with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, a form of blood cancer. He died on 12 June 2023 in Milan at the age of 86. The Italian government granted him a state funeral, which was held at the Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano) and attended by national and international dignitaries.

Recognition

Berlusconi's position in Italian and international affairs was recognized through various rankings and assessments during his career. In 2009, Forbes ranked him 12th on its list of the World's Most Powerful People, citing his domination of Italian politics over more than fifteen years at the head of the centre-right coalition.

As prime minister, Berlusconi hosted three G8 summits in Italy, a record for any single leader in the history of the forum. He served as the senior G8 leader from 2009 until his resignation in 2011, a status reflecting his longevity among the heads of the world's leading industrialized nations.

His Order of Merit for Labour, from which he resigned in 2014, had been one of the most prominent personal honours bestowed upon him. The distinction gave rise to his enduring public nickname, Il Cavaliere, which was used throughout Italian media and political discourse to refer to him for decades.

Berlusconi's state funeral in June 2023 reflected the significance attributed to his role in modern Italian history by the Italian government, regardless of the controversies that accompanied his career. The ceremony at the Milan Cathedral drew large crowds and was broadcast widely.

Legacy

Berlusconi's impact on Italian politics, media, and public life was substantial and remains a subject of ongoing assessment. He served as prime minister for a cumulative nine years, longer than any other post-war Italian leader, and his political career spanned nearly three decades of active involvement in national and European politics. The political movement he founded, Forza Italia, reshaped the Italian centre-right and influenced the broader trajectory of Italian party politics after the collapse of the post-war party system in the early 1990s.

His dual role as Italy's leading media proprietor and its head of government raised enduring questions about conflicts of interest, media pluralism, and the relationship between wealth and political power in democratic societies. The intersection of his business and political activities was examined by scholars, journalists, and international observers throughout his career, and it continues to inform debates about media regulation and political ethics in Italy and beyond.

Berlusconi's political style, characterized by direct communication, populist appeals, and the use of media as a political instrument, anticipated trends that would later become more widespread in Western democracies. His approach to political messaging and branding influenced subsequent political figures both in Italy and internationally.

His 2013 tax fraud conviction by the Supreme Court of Cassation represented the first time in the history of the Italian Republic that a former prime minister was definitively convicted of a criminal offence. The legal proceedings and their political consequences illustrated the complex interactions between the judicial and political systems in Italy.

The Italy-Libya treaty of 2008, signed during his third government, represented one of the more significant bilateral agreements in recent Italian foreign policy, addressing colonial-era grievances and establishing new cooperative frameworks. His role in international diplomacy, including his relationships with leaders such as Vladimir Putin, George W. Bush, and Muammar Gaddafi, shaped Italy's foreign policy orientation during his years in power.

At the time of his death, Berlusconi was serving as a senator of the Republic and continued to lead Forza Italia, which remained a significant component of the governing centre-right coalition under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. His passing marked the end of an era in Italian politics that had been defined in significant measure by his presence.