The longest-serving prime minister of Italy, Berlusconi, was known for his "bunga bunga" sex parties, was close friends with Russian President Vladimir Putin, had leukemia, and was recently diagnosed with a lung ailment.
After being admitted on Friday, he passed away at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan. He was accompanied by his five children, his partner Marta Fascina, and his younger brother Paolo, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Wednesday, 14th has been designated a day of national mourning by the government and will feature a state burial at Milan Cathedral. Half-mast flags will be flown until Wednesday.
With the support of his Media Empire and enormous riches, Berlusconi entered politics in 1994, upending established parties and winning the position of premier. Twenty years later, Donald Trump, another billionaire, would adopt a similar strategy in the US.
His death would upset his Forza Italia party, a minor partner in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-wing coalition, but if she can win over his party's parliamentarians and followers, it might boost her position as leader.
The future of Berlusconi's commercial empire is also dubious. Even though his eldest daughter Marina is anticipated to play a significant role in his MFE (MFEB.MI) company after his passing, he never publicly said who will assume full control of it.
Political allies, adversaries, and world leaders all expressed their sorrow over Berlusconi's passing, with Putin praising him as "a true friend." I have always genuinely liked his intelligence and his capacity to make fair judgments with a long view, even in the most trying circumstances.
This particular relationship was only one from Berlusconi's colorful public and private life that gave his opponents ammunition and his allies a headache.
Berlusconi said Moscow just desired to install "decent people" in power, Berlusconi refused to hold Putin responsible for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Meloni said Rome supports Ukraine notwithstanding any comments made by anyone while she was in Kyiv this year.
She stated on Monday, "We fought, won, and lost many battles with him, and we will also accomplish the objectives we had set together for him. Goodbye, Silvio.
Former center-left premier Enrico Letta stated on Twitter that Berlusconi "created the history of our country. No matter whether they agreed with his decisions or not, everyone is affected by his death.
Mario Draghi, a nonpartisan former head of the European Central Bank and another former premier, claimed Berlusconi "changed politics and
DISPUTES AND SCANDALS
In spite of numerous legal troubles, Berlusconi entered politics after establishing a real estate, soccer, and television empire in the 1970s and 1980s. He eventually became prime minister four times, from 1994 to 2005, 2001 to 2005, and 2008 to 2011.
When he finally resigned in 2011, claims that he had conducted "bunga bunga" sex parties with minors, which he denied, had damaged his reputation and Italy was on the verge of a fiscal catastrophe similar to that in Greece.
On appeal, he was cleared of all allegations relating to the parties, but in 2013, he was found guilty of tax fraud, which resulted in a five-year suspension from holding public office. When he passed away, he was still taking part in one trial.
Despite his health issues and the ongoing legal disputes, Berlusconi refused to give up power.