Former Italian premier and media mogul Silvio Berlusconi has died at the age of 86, Italian media has reported.
He was Italy’s longest-serving premier despite scandals over his sex-fuelled parties and allegations of corruption.
Italian news agency LaPresse reported Mr Berlusconi’s death after he was taken to hospital on Friday for the second time in months to be treated for chronic leukaemia.
Mr Berlusconi had previously been taken to hospital in Milan on April 5 with a lung infection stemming from the disease, said Dr Alberto Zangrillo, his personal physician.
He had suffered over the years from heart ailments and prostate cancer, and was also taken to hospital after a Covid-19 infection in 2020.
Silvio Berlusconi was an Italian media tycoon and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Italy on four separate occasions. He was born on September 29, 1936, in Milan, Italy. Berlusconi was best known for his ownership and control of Mediaset, a major media company in Italy, which included television networks, publishing houses, and other media outlets.
Berlusconi entered politics in the early 1990s and founded the political party Forza Italia (Forward Italy) in 1994. He served as Prime Minister for the first time from 1994 to 1995, then again from 2001 to 2006, and once more from 2008 to 2011. His political career was marked by controversy, including legal troubles and accusations of corruption.
Berlusconi's political style was often flamboyant, and he was known for his charisma and media skills. He pursued pro-business policies and advocated for reducing bureaucracy and taxes. However, his tenure was also criticized for his conflicts of interest due to his media ownership and allegations of using his political power for personal gain.
In addition to his political career, Berlusconi faced various legal issues over the years. He was involved in several trials and was convicted of crimes such as tax fraud, bribery, and embezzlement. Despite these legal challenges, he remained a prominent figure in Italian politics for many years.
