Onorevole  Silvio Berlusconi
Prime Minister of Italy
Incumbent
Assumed office  8 May 2008
President	Giorgio Napolitano
Preceded by	Romano Prodi
In office 11 June 2001 – 17 May 2006
President	Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Deputy	Giulio Tremonti Gianfranco Fini Marco Follini
Preceded by	Giuliano Amato
Succeeded by	Romano Prodi
In office 27 April 1994 – 17 January 1995
President	Oscar Luigi Scalfaro
Deputy	Giuseppe Tatarella Roberto Maroni
Preceded by	Carlo Azeglio Ciampi
Succeeded by	Lamberto Dini
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Acting
In office 6 January 2002 – 14 November 2002
Preceded by	Renato Ruggiero
Succeeded by	Franco Frattini
Minister of Economy and Finance of Italy Acting
In office 3 July 2004 – 16 July 2004
Preceded by	Giulio Tremonti
Succeeded by	Domenico Siniscalco
Minister of Health of Italy Acting
In office 10 March 2006 – 17 May 2006
Preceded by	Francesco Storace
Succeeded by	Livia Turco
Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy
Incumbent
Assumed office  21 April 1994
Constituency	XIX - Campania I
Born	29 September 1936 (1936-09-29) (age 71) Milan, Italy
Political party	Forza Italia (People of Freedom)
Spouse	Carla Dall'Oglio (1965) Veronica Lario (1985)
Children	Marina Berlusconi Pier Silvio Berlusconi Barbara Berlusconi Eleonora Berlusconi Luigi Berlusconi
Residence	Arcore, Italy
Alma mater	University of Milan
Profession	Politician Businessman
Net Worth	$9.4 billion USD [1]
Religion	Roman Catholic

Silvio Berlusconi (help· info) (born 29 September 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, media proprietor, and Prime Minister of Italy (President of the Council of Ministers of Italy), a position he has held three times; 1994-1995, 2001-2006 and since 2008.^[2] He is the leader of the Forza Italia political movement, a centre-right party he founded in 1993. Before the 2008 Italian general election he announced his intention to establish a new political party, People of Freedom, to be constituted by the merging of Forza Italia with the National Alliance party, and several other conservative parties later in 2008. His victory in the 2008 general election paved the way for a third term as prime minister. These are some of the honorifics used in Italy. ... In Italy, the President of the Council of Ministers (Italian: Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) is the countrys prime minister or head of government, and occupies the fourth-most important state office. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Giorgio Napolitano (born June 29, 1925), is an Italian politician and former lifetime senator, the eleventh and current President of the Italian Republic. ... Prodi redirects here. ... is the 162nd day of the year (163rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (born 9 December 1920 in Livorno) is an Italian politician and banker who has been both Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Italian Republic. ... ÁÁGiulio Tremonti (August 18, 1947, Sondrio, Lombardy) is an Italian politician and economist, and the current Italian minister of Economy and Finance under the government of Silvio Berlusconi. ... Gianfranco Fini Gianfranco Fini (born January 3, 1952 in Bologna) is an Italian politician, currently Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in the Government led by Silvio Berlusconi. ... Marco Follini (born on 26 September 1954 in Rome, Italy) is a Italian politician, and National Secretary of the Democrats Centre Union party. ... Giuliano Amato (born May 13, 1938) is an Italian politician. ... Prodi redirects here. ... is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Baron Oscar Luigi Scàlfaro [skalfaro] (born in Novara, September 9, 1918) is an Italian politician and magistrate, member of the Christian Democracy, President of the Italian Republic from 1992 to 1999 and senator for life. ... Roberto Maroni (born March 15, 1955 in Varese) is the Italian Minister of Welfare and a member of the Northern League. ... Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (born 9 December 1920 in Livorno) is an Italian politician and banker who has been both Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Italian Republic. ... Lamberto Dini (right) with William Cohen Lamberto Dini (born in Florence, March 1, 1931), is a former Italian Prime Minister (1995-1996) and Foreign Minister (1996-2001). ... This is a list of Italian Ministers of Foreign Affairs since 1943. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Renato Ruggiero (born April 9, 1930) is an Italian politician. ... Franco Frattini (born 14 March 1957) is an Italian politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... ÁÁGiulio Tremonti (August 18, 1947, Sondrio, Lombardy) is an Italian politician and economist, and the current Italian minister of Economy and Finance under the government of Silvio Berlusconi. ... Domenico Siniscalco born in 1954 took office as the Italian Minister of Economy and Finance on July 16, 2004 until April 23, 2005. ... This is the list of Italian Ministers of Health [1] Ministery established by law 13. ... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Francesco Storace (born January 25, 1959) is an Italian politician. ... Livia Turco (born 13 February 1955 in Cuneo) is an Italian politician, member of the Democrats of the Left party and currently the Italian Minister of Health. ... Type Lower house President of the Chamber Gianfranco Fini, PdL since April 30, 2008 Members 630 Political groups Pdl 275 PD 217 Lega Nord 60 UDC 35 Idv 29 Misto 14 Last elections April 13–14, 2008 Meeting place Palazzo Montecitorio, Rome Web site http://www. ... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... For other uses, see Campania (disambiguation). ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Milan (disambiguation). ... Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ... Veronica Lario is the wife of Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi. ... Daughter of Silvio Berlusconi, Italys billionaire former prime minister, Berlusconi, 40, holds several posts in her fathers media empire. ... Country Italy Region Lombardy Province Province of Milan (MI) Mayor Elevation 193 m Area 9. ... For other uses, see Alma mater (disambiguation). ... The University of Milan (Università degli Studi di Milano, UNIMI) is one the larger universities in Italy, with about 60,000 students, a teaching and research staff of 2,500 and a non-teaching staff of 2,000. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... A businessman (sometimes businesswoman, female; or businessperson, gender neutral) is a generic term for a wide range of people engaged in profit-oriented enterprises, generally the management of a company. ... USD redirects here. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Image File history File links It-Silvio Berlusconi. ... is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The politics of Italy take place in a framework of a parliamentary, democratic republic, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... For the computer game by Peter Molyneux, see The Entrepreneur. ... A media proprietor is a person who controls, either through personal ownership or a dominant position in a public company, a significant part of the mass media. ... In Italy, the President of the Council of Ministers (Italian: Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) is the countrys prime minister or head of government, and occupies the fourth-most important state office. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ... The centre-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote political parties or organizations (such as think tanks) that stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. ... National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale, AN) is a national-conservative Italian political party. ...

Berlusconi is the founder and main shareholder of Fininvest, among the ten largest Italian privately-owned companies,^[3] operating in media and finance including three national TV channels. Together these account for nearly half the Italian TV market. He owns three (out of seven) national television channels as well as some of the country's most important newspapers. Under his presidency it has won a number of national and international trophies. According to Forbes magazine, Berlusconi is Italy's third richest person, with personal assets worth $9.4 billion (USD) in 2008.^[4] preceded only by Michele Ferrero and Leonardo Del Vecchio. A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or company (including a corporation) that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a joint stock company. ... Fininvest is a financial holding company controlled by Silvio Berlusconis family. ... For other uses, see Forbes (disambiguation). ... USD redirects here. ... Michele Ferrero (1927-). Owner of the eponymous chocolate maker Ferrero SpA, one of Europes largest with estimated 2002 sales of $4 billion. ... Leonardo Del Vecchio (1935-) is the founder and chairman of Luxottica, a $3 billion (sales) designer and manufacturer of high-quality eyeglass frames. ...

His rise in the political arena was rapid and surrounded by controversy. He was elected President of the Council of Ministers following the March 1994 elections, when Forza Italia gained a relative majority a mere three months after having been officially launched. He formed the first right-wing administration in 34 years. However, his cabinet collapsed after seven months, due to internal disagreements in the centre-right coalition. In the 1996 elections, he ran for Prime Minister again but was defeated by centre-left candidate Romano Prodi. From 1996 to 2001 he was the leader of the parliamentary opposition. In the 2001 elections, he was again the centre-right candidate for Prime Minister and won against the centre-left candidate Francesco Rutelli. Berlusconi then formed his second and third governments, which together lasted five years. An early national general election was held in Italy on April 21, 1996 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. ... Prodi redirects here. ... A national general election was held in Italy on May 13, 2001 to elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. ... Francesco Rutelli, MP (born June 14, 1954, Rome, Italy) is an Italian politician, formerly Mayor of Rome, and former president of the centrist party Democracy is Freedom - Daisy. ...

Berlusconi was leader of the centre-right coalition in the May 2006 election, which he lost by a very narrow margin, his counterpart being again Romano Prodi. On 17 May 2006 he was formally succeeded by Prodi. He was re-elected with a large majority in the April 2008 parliamentary election and sworn in again as prime minister on 8 May 2008. A general election for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy was held on April 9 and April 10, 2006. ... Prodi redirects here. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Family background and private life

Berlusconi was raised in an upper middle-class family in Milan. His father Luigi (1908 - 1989) worked with increasing responsibilities at Banca Rasini, a bank long suspected by magistrates to be linked to the Sicilian Mafia.^[5] His mother was Rosa Bossi (1911 - 2008). Silvio was the first of three children; his siblings are Maria Francesca Antonietta Berlusconi (born 1943) and Paolo Berlusconi (born 1949), now both entrepreneurs. For other uses, see Milan (disambiguation). ...

After completing his secondary school education at a Salesian college, he studied law at the Università Statale in Milan, graduating cum laude with a thesis on the legal aspects of advertising in 1961. As the first-born child in his family,^[6] Berlusconi was not required to serve the standard one-year stint in the Italian army which was compulsory at the time. For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ... The University of Milan (Università degli Studi di Milano, UNIMI) is one the larger universities in Italy, with about 60,000 students, a teaching and research staff of 2,500 and a non-teaching staff of 2,000. ... Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. ... // Advert redirects here. ... Coat of Arms of the Italian Army Dardo IFV on exercise in Capo Teulada Soldiers of the 33rd Field Artillery Regiment Acqui on parade The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano) is the ground defense force of the Italian Republic. ...

In 1965 he married Carla Elvira Dall'Oglio, and they had two children: Maria Elvira, better known as Marina (born 1966) and Pier Silvio (b. 1968). By 1980, Berlusconi had established a relationship with the actress Veronica Lario (born Miriam Bartolini), with whom he subsequently had three children: Barbara (b. 1984), Eleonora (b. 1986) and Luigi (b. 1988). He was divorced from Dall'Oglio in 1985, and married Lario in 1990. At this time, Berlusconi was a well-known entrepreneur, and his wedding was a notable social event. One of his best men was former Prime Minister and leader of Italian Socialist Party Bettino Craxi. Veronica Lario is the wife of Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Benedetto (Bettino) Craxi (February 24, 1934 – January 19, 2000) was an Italian politician, head of the Italian Socialist Party from 1976 to 1993, the first socialist President of the Council of Ministers of Italy from 1983 to 1987. ...

Business career

Silvio Berlusconi (left) with Bettino Craxi (right), the then Prime Minister of Italy, in 1984.

Image File history File links Silvio Berlusconi and Bettino Craxi This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links Silvio Berlusconi and Bettino Craxi This work is copyrighted. ... Benedetto (Bettino) Craxi (February 24, 1934 – January 19, 2000) was an Italian politician, head of the Italian Socialist Party from 1976 to 1993, the first socialist President of the Council of Ministers of Italy from 1983 to 1987. ...

Milano 2

Berlusconi's business career began in the building construction business in the 1960s. In the late 1960s, he had the idea of developing Milano 2, a garden city of around 3,500 flats. It was built at Segrate on the eastern outskirts of Milan beneath the flight path of aircraft taking off from nearby Linate airport. Flights were diverted to a new airport, greatly increasing the value of his investment. How Berlusconi managed to finance the project remains a mystery. From the outset, in September 1968. his name disappears from all relevant legal documents, replaced by nominal proprietors of humble means, and only resurfaces in 1975. The financing is lost in a series of offshore company transactions and financial Chinese boxes investigating magistrates and historians have never managed to untangle, though The Economist estimates that some 93.9 billion lira of unknown origin poured into the 22 companies that made up Berlusconi's holding.^[7] Segrate is a town of 35,000 people, sited in Lombardia, Italy. ... The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London. ... For the band, see Big Brother and the Holding Company. ...

Telemilano

He first entered the media world in 1973 by setting up a small cable television Telemilano to service units built on his Segrate properties. It began transmitting in September the following year, and, after buying two further channels, Berlusconi relocated the station to central Milan in 1977, and began broadcasting over the airwaves.^[8]

Fininvest

In 1978 Berlusconi formed his first media group, Fininvest, which in the five years leading up to 1983 earned 113,000,000,000 lire (the equivalent of about 260,000,000 euro at 1997 values). The funding sources are still unknown because of the complex system of holding companies that makes them impossible to trace, despite investigations conducted by various state attorneys. Among the banks involved in this transfer of funds was Banca Rasini, identified by Michele Sindona as the mafia's bank in Milan.^[9][10] Fininvest is a financial holding company controlled by Silvio Berlusconis family. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... For the band, see Big Brother and the Holding Company. ... Michele Sindona (died 1986) was an Italian banker and convicted felon. ...

Fininvest expanded into a country-wide network of local TV stations which had similar programming, forming, in effect, a single national network. This was seen as breaching the public broadcaster RAI's statutory monopoly on creating a national network which was later abolished. In 1980 Berlusconi founded Italy's first private national network Canale 5, followed shortly thereafter by Italia 1 which was bought from the Rusconi family in 1982, and Rete 4 which was bought from Mondadori in 1984. By this time, judges in Turin, Pescara and Rome, enforcing a law which then restricted nation-wide broadcasting to RAI, ordered these private networks to cease transmitting. Berlusconi was assisted in his successful effort to create the first and only Italian commercial TV empire by his connections to Bettino Craxi, secretary-general of the Italian Socialist Party and also prime minister of Italy at that time, who passed an emergency decree legalizing the nation-wide broadcasting transmissions made by Berlusconi's television stations. After some political turmoil in 1985 the decree was approved definitively. But for some years, Berlusconi's three channels remained in a legal limbo, and were not therefore allowed, for instance, to broadcast news and political commentary. They were fully elevated to national TV channels in 1990 with the so-called Mammì law. A television network is a distribution network for television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many television stations. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Canale 5 is an Italian television station of Mediaset network, the media branch of Fininvest (controlled by Silvio Berlusconi). ... Rete 4 (also known as Retequattro) is an Italian television station belonging to the Mediaset network. ... Arnoldo Mondadori (Poggio Rusco Mantua, November 2, 1889 - Milan, June 8, 1971) was a noted Italian publisher. ... Torino redirects here. ... Pescaras port in the afterglow. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... Benedetto (Bettino) Craxi (February 24, 1934 – January 19, 2000) was an Italian politician, head of the Italian Socialist Party from 1976 to 1993, the first socialist President of the Council of Ministers of Italy from 1983 to 1987. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In 1995, Berlusconi sold a portion of his media holdings, first to the German media group Kirch (now bankrupt) and then by public offer. In 1999 Berlusconi expanded again in the media business in a partnership with Kirch called the Epsilon MediaGroup.^[11] Leo Kirch (born 21 October 1926 in Volkach, Bavaria) is a German media entrepreneur. ...

Current assets

Berlusconi's main company Mediaset, comprises three national television channels, which hold approximately half the national viewing audience, and Publitalia, the leading Italian advertising and publicity agency. He also owns Arnoldo Mondadori, the largest Italian publishing house, whose publications include Panorama, one of the most popular news magazine in Italy. He has interests in cinema and home video distribution firms (Medusa and Penta), insurance and banking (Mediolanum) and a variety of other activities. His brother, Paolo Berlusconi, owns and operates Il Giornale, a centre-right newspaper which provides a strong pro-Berlusconi slant on Italy and its politics. Mediaset is an Italian commercial television network. ... Arnoldo Mondadori (Poggio Rusco Mantua, November 2, 1889 - Milan, June 8, 1971) was a noted Italian publisher. ... Panorama is an Italian newsmagazine owned by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. ... Arcadius solidus, from Mediolanum mint, 400s. ... Italian for The Newspaper, Il Giornale was essentially the first Starbucks. ...

Berlusconi also owned the nationally and internationally successful football club AC Milan and has made an important contribution to his continuing political success. "Forza Italia" meaning "Go Italy!" was before the party of the same name was founded had been most associated with football supporters of the Italian national football team.^[12] AC Milan is an Italian football club. ... First International Italy 6 - 2 France (Milan, Italy; 15 May 1910) Largest win Italy 9 - 0 USA (Brentford, England; 2 August 1948) Worst defeat Hungary 7 - 1 Italy (Budapest, Hungary; 6 April 1924) World Cup Appearances 15 (First in 1934) Best result Winners, 1934, 1938, 1982 European Championship Appearances 6...

Berlusconi's gesture

At a joint press-conference at Villa La Certosa (17 April 2008) in Sardinia with the Russian president Vladimir Putin, a Russian journalist, Natalia Melikova, put a question to Putin, asking him if he intended divorcing his wife and marrying Alina Kabaeva, an Olympic gold medalist and an MP in Russia. Berlusconi intervened when his guest showed annoyance by a gesture towards the journalist that imitated a gunman shooting [1]. The journalist was reportedly reduced to tears. Putin denied rumours that he was to marry Kabaeva. A spokesman for Berlusconi tried to play down the shooting gesture. He said: 'It was just a gesture, a playful gesture, in fact it was appreciated giving the technical time needed for a long and tedious Russian translation.' Afterwards, Melikova said: 'I saw Berlusconi's gesture and I know he has a reputation as being a joker. I hope there are no consequences.' Sardinia (pronounced ; Italian: ; Sardinian: or ) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily). ... Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: Russian pronunciation: ) (born October 7, 1952, in Leningrad, U.S.S.R., now Saint Petersburg, Russia) is a Russian politician who was the 2nd President of the Russian Federation from 2000 to 2008. ... Alina Maratovna Kabaeva (Russian: ; Tatar: Älinä Marat qızı Qabayeva; born May 12, 1983[1] to Tatar father and Russian mother. ... For gestures in computing, see mouse gesture. ...

Political career

"Entering the field"

In the early 1990s, the two dominant governing parties, Christian Democracy (Democrazia Cristiana) and the Italian Socialist Party, lost much of their electoral strength almost overnight due to a large number of judicial investigations concerning the financial corruption of many of their foremost members (see the Mani Pulite affair). This led to a general expectation that upcoming elections would be won by the Democratic Party of the Left, the heirs to the former Italian Communist Party, and their Alliance of Progressives coalition unless there was a strong alternative. Berlusconi publicly announced on 26 January 1994 his decision to enter politics ("entering the field", in his own words) on a platform focused on defeating the Communists. The timing of his announcement raised some questions, however. Shortly before he decided to enter into politics, investigators into the Mani Pulite affair were said to be close to issuing warrants not only for his arrest but also for the chief executives of his business group. Christian Democracy (Democrazia Cristiana, DC), the Christian democratic party of Italy, dominated government for nearly half a century until its demise amid a welter of corruption allegations in 1992-94. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Mani pulite (Italian for clean hands) was a nationwide Italian police investigation into political corruption held in the 1990s, following the scandal of Banco Ambrosiano in 1982, which implicated mafia, Vatican Bank and P2. ... The Democratic Party of the Left (Italian: Partito democratico della Sinistra, or PdS) was the evolution in a social-democratic direction of the Italian Communist Party, or PCI. It was founded by Achille Occhetto, last secretary of the PCI and first of the PdS. The logo of the PdS consisted... The Partito Comunista Italiano (PCI) or Italian Communist Party emerged as Partito Comunista dItalia or Communist Party of Italy from a secession by the Leninist comunisti puri tendency from the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) during that bodys congress on 21 January 1921 at Livorno. ... The Alliance of Progressives (Alleanza dei Progressisti) was an left-wing electoral coalition in Italy in 1994. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... This article is about the form of society and political movement. ... Bettino Craxi, viewed by many as the symbol of Tangentopoli, leader of the Italian Socialist Party, is greeted by a salvo of coins as a sign of loathing by protesters contesting him. ...

The debate about motives

According to journalist Marco Travaglio, Berlusconi entered politics to save his companies from bankruptcy and himself from convictions.^[13] From the very beginning he said it clearly to his associates. Berlusconi's supporters hailed him as the "new man", an outsider who was going to bring a new efficiency to the public bureaucracy and reform the state from top to bottom. Marco Travaglio (Turin, 1964) is a Italian journalist and writer. ... Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration—see text) in the United Kingdom. ... In law, a conviction is the verdict which results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of committing a crime. ... This article is about the sociological concept. ...

While investigating these matters, three journalists²³ noted the following facts:

• Mediobanca's annual report about the 10 biggest Italian companies showed that, in 1992, Berlusconi's media and finance group Fininvest had about 7,140 billion lire of debts, 8,193 billion lire of assets (with 35% of liquidity) and a net worth (that is, assets minus debts) of 1,053 billion lire. The asset-debt ratio represented a patrimonial situation bordering on bankruptcy.
• Between 1992 and 1993, Fininvest was investigated several times prosecutors in Milan, Turin and Rome. The investigations regarded: alleged bribes (to political parties and public officials with the aim of getting contracts), alleged fake invoicing by Publitalia, the financing of political congresses and abuse of television frequencies.

The Economist, an influential London-based financial weekly magazinenewspaper has published several lengthy articles about Berlusconi's business activities. (see below). Mediobanca was a company founded by Enrico Cuccia in 1946 to facilitate the post-WW2 reconstruction of Italian industry. ... Fininvest is a financial holding company controlled by Silvio Berlusconis family. ... For other uses, see Debt (disambiguation). ... This article is about the business definition. ... Net worth (sometimes net assets) is the total assets minus total liabilities of an individual or company. ... Fininvest is a financial holding company controlled by Silvio Berlusconis family. ... The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries adopting the common law adversarial system or the civil law inquisitorial system. ... Bribery is a crime implying a sum or gift given alters the behaviour of the person in ways not consistent with the duties of that person. ... A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ...   (born 29 September 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, media proprietor, and Prime Minister of Italy (President of the Council of Ministers of Italy), a position he has held three times; 1994-1995, 2001-2006 and since 2008. ...

1994 electoral victory

Berlusconi founded Forza Italia only two months before the 1994 elections. He formed two separate electoral alliances: Pole of Freedoms (Polo delle Libertà) with the Northern League (Lega Nord) in northern Italian districts, and another, the Pole of Good Government (Polo del Buon Governo), with the post-fascist^[14] National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale; heir to the Italian Social Movement) in central and southern regions. In a shrewd pragmatic move, he did not ally with the latter in the North because the League disliked them. As a result, Forza Italia was allied with two parties that were not allied with each other. Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ... The Pole of Freedoms (Polo delle Libertà) was an centre-right electoral coalition in Italy, launched by Silvio Berlusconi in 1994. ... The Northern League (Italian: Lega Nord) is an Italian political party founded in 1991 as a federation of several regional parties in Northern Italy, most of which had arisen, and all of which had expanded their share of the electorate, in the 1980s. ... The Pole of Good Government (Polo del Buon Governo) was an centre-right electoral coalition in Italy, launched by Silvio Berlusconi in 1994. ... The National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale) is a right-wing Italian party, formed from most of the former Italian Social Movement (Movimento Sociale Italiano, MSI) and conservative elements of the former Christian Democrats, the National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale, AN) was created in 1994. ... The Italian Social Movement (Movimento sociale italiano ) (MSI) was a neo-Fascist party formed 1946 in the post-World War II period by supporters of the executed dictator Benito Mussolini under the lead of Giorgio Almirante. ...

Berlusconi launched a massive campaign of electoral advertisements on his three TV networks. He subsequently won the elections, with Forza Italia raking in 21% of the popular vote, the highest percentage of any single party. One of the most significant promises that he made in order to secure victory was that his government would create "one million more jobs". He was appointed Prime Minister in 1994, but his term in office was short because of the inherent contradictions in his coalition: the League, a regional party with a strong electoral base in northern Italy, was at that time oscillating between federalist and separatist positions, and the National Alliance was a nationalist party that had yet to renounce neo-fascism at the time. The term federalist refers to several sets of political beliefs around the world. ... Political separatism is a movement to obtain sovereignty and split a territory or group of people (usually a people with a distinctive national consciousness) from one another (or one nation from another; a colony from the metropolis). ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Fall of the Berlusconi I cabinet

In December 1994, following the communication of a new investigation from Milan magistrates that was leaked to the press, Umberto Bossi, leader of the Lega Nord, left the coalition claiming that the electoral pact had not been respected, forcing Berlusconi to resign from office and shifting the majority's weight to the centre-left side. Lega Nord also resented the fact that many of its MPs had switched to Forza Italia, allegedly lured by promises of more prestigious portfolios. Umberto Bossi (born September 19, 1941) is an Italian politician, leader of the Northern League, a party seeking autonomy or independence for northern Italy. ...

Berlusconi remained as caretaker prime minister for a little over a month until his replacement by a technocratic government headed by Lamberto Dini. Dini had been a key minister in the Berlusconi cabinet, and Berlusconi said the only way he would support a technocratic government would be if Dini headed it. In the end, however, Dini was only supported by most opposition parties but not by Forza Italia and Lega Nord. In 1996, this coalition was replaced, after a new election, by a centre-left government lead by Romano Prodi.^[15] Lamberto Dini (right) with William Cohen Lamberto Dini (born in Florence, March 1, 1931), is a former Italian Prime Minister (1995-1996) and Foreign Minister (1996-2001). ... Prodi redirects here. ...

Electoral victory of 2001

In 2001 Berlusconi again ran as leader of the centre-right coalition House of Freedoms (Casa delle Libertà), which included the National Alliance, United Christian Democrats, Northern League and other parties. Berlusconi's success in this election led to him becoming Prime Minister once more, with the coalition receiving 45.4% of the vote for the Chamber of Deputies and 42.5% for the Senate. Casa delle Libertà (CDL; Italian for House of Freedoms), was a major Italian center-right political alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi. ... The United Christian Democrats is a late christian-democratic party of Italy, born in 1995 by a split, led by Rocco Buttiglione (secretary of the Italian Peoples Party in 1994-95), Roberto Formigoni and Gianfranco Rotondi, of those members of the Italian Peoples Party who wanted to enter... Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati, one house of the bicameral parliamentary system, seats 630 members of which 475 are directly elected and 155 by regional proportional representation. ... Palazzo Madama house of the Senate of the Republic. ...

In a TV show during the electoral campaign, Berlusconi created a powerful impression on the public by undertaking to sign a so-called Contratto con gli Italiani (contract with the Italian people), an idea copied outright by his advisor Luigi Crespi from Newt Gingrich's 1994 manifesto in the United States in 1994^[16] which was widely considered to be a creative masterstroke in his campaign bid for office. In this solemn agreement, Berlusconi claimed he could improve several aspects of the Italian economy and life. Firstly, he undertook to simplify the complex tax system by introducing just two tax rates (33% for those earning over 100,000 euros, and 23 for the anyone earning less than that figure: anyone earning less than 11,000 euros a year would not be taxed); secondly, he promised to half the unemployment rate; thirdly, he undertook to finance and develop a massive new public works program. Fourthly, he promised to raise the minimum monthly pension rate to 516 euros; and fifthly, he would suppress the crime wave by introducing policemen to patrol all local zones and areas in Italy's major cities.^[17] Berlusconi undertook to refrain from putting himself up for re-election in 2006, were he to fail to honour at least 4 of these 5 promises. Newton Leroy Gingrich, (born June 17, 1943), served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. ...

The Berlusconi II cabinet

Opposition parties claim Berlusconi was not able to achieve the goals he promised in his Contratto con gli Italiani. His partners in government, the National Alliance and the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats have admitted the Government fell short of the promises made in the agreement, attributing the failure to an unforeseeable downturn in global economic conditions. Italian GDP grew very slowly, almost not at all, during Berlusconi's Government, while public debt rose quickly. Berlusconi himself has consistently asserted that he achieved all the goals of the agreement, and said his Government provided un miracolo continuo (a continuous miracle) that made all 'earlier governments pale' (by comparison). He attributed the widespread failure to recognize these achievements to a campaign of mystification and vilification in the printed media, asserting that 85% of newspapers were opposed to him.^[18] An independent analyst, towards the end of the 2001-2006 legislature, held that Berlusconi had managed to maintain only one promise out of five, the one concerning minimum pension levels. The other four promises would in all likelihood not, in Luca Ricolfi’s view, be honoured. In particular, the undertakings on the tax simplification and the reduction of crime could not be kept by the end of Berlusconi’s premiership. Ricolfi thus concluded: ‘Therefore, if Berlusconi really does want to honour the contract with the Italians, he should at the least renounce the idea of recandidating himself in the forthcoming political elections’.^[19] The Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (Italian: Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e Democratici di Centro) is a political party in Italy formed by a merger of the former Centro Cristiano Democratico and Christiani Democratici Uniti parties. ...

Subsequent elections

House of Freedoms did not do as well in the 2003 local elections as it did in the 2001 national elections. In common with many other European governing groups, in the 2004 elections of the European Parliament, gaining 43.37% support. Forza Italia's support was also reduced from 29.5% to 21.0% (in the 1999 European elections Forza Italia had 25.2%). As an outcome of these results the other coalition parties, whose electoral results were more satisfactory, asked Berlusconi and Forza Italia for greater influence in the government's political line. Casa delle Libertà (CDL; Italian for House of Freedoms), was a major Italian center-right political alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi. ...

The Berlusconi III Cabinet

In the 2005 Local Elections (3 April/4 April 2005), the candidates backed by the The Union coalition (successor of The Olive Tree) won in 12 out of 14 regions where control of local governments and governorships were at stake. Berlusconi's coalition kept only two of the regional bodies (Lombardy and Veneto) up for re-election. Two parties, Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC) and New Italian Socialist Party, threatened to withdraw from the Berlusconi government. Berlusconi, after some hesitation, then presented to the President of the Republic a request for the dissolution of his government on 20 April 2005. On 23 April he formed a new government with the same allies, reshuffling ministers and amending the government program. A key point required by the UDC (and to a minor extent by National Alliance) for their continued support was that the strong focus on tax reduction central to the government's ambitions be changed. is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Union (Italian: LUnione) is an Italian centre-left political party coalition. ... For information about the plant for which the political party is named, see Olive. ... For the village of the same name in Ontario, Canada, see Lombardy, Ontario. ... Veneto is my fatherland. ... The Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (Italian: Unione dei Democratici Cristiani e Democratici di Centro) is a political party in Italy formed by a merger of the former Centro Cristiano Democratico and Christiani Democratici Uniti parties. ... The New Italian Socialist Party (Nuovo Partito Socialista Italiano, NPSI) is a small Italian party which professes a social-democratic ideology and claims to be the successor to the old Italian Socialist Party, which was disbanded after the judiciary tempest of the early 1990s (see Mani Pulite). ... Flag of the President of the Italian Republic This is the list of Presidents of the Italian Republic with the title since 1948. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale, AN) is a national-conservative Italian political party. ...

The 2006 elections

Operating under a new electoral law written unilaterally by the government over strong opposition from the parties in the minority, the 2006 elections were held. The results of the 2006 Parliamentary Elections handed Prodi's bloc (Berlusconi's opposition) the majority (49.8% against 49.7% for the ruling centre-right in the Lower House and a two-senator lead in the Senate, 158 vs 156). This situation gave Prodi the chance to form a new cabinet, because of the recent modification to electoral rules introduced by Berlusconi's cabinet. A general election for the renewal of the two Chambers of the Parliament of Italy was held on April 9 and April 10, 2006. ... A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. ... The Parliament of Italy (Italian: Parlamento Italiano) is the national parliament of Italy. ...

The centre-left coalition The Union, with a margin of 25,224 votes (out of over 38 million voters), nevertheless won 348 seats (versus 281 for House of Freedoms) as a result of a majority premium given to whichever party totalled more votes. Ironically, the same electoral law that Berlusconi had forced through shortly before the election, and for which he had been accused of changing the law so that he would win anyway, caused his defeat. The Court of Cassation has validated the voting procedures and determined that the election process was constitutional. The Union (Italian: LUnione) is an Italian centre-left political party coalition. ... Casa delle Libertà (CDL; Italian for House of Freedoms), was a major Italian center-right political alliance led by Silvio Berlusconi. ...

Centrist parties like UDC immediately conceded The Union's victory, while more right-wing elements, like Berlusconi's Forza Italia and the Northern League, refused to accept its validity, right up until 2 May 2006, when Berlusconi submitted his resignation to President Ciampi.^[20] is the 122nd day of the year (123rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The 2008 elections

Berlusconi scored strong victories in both houses of the Italian Parliament, despite a strong final sprint by his main rival, Walter Veltroni, in the general election held on 13/14 April 2008. The Parliament of Italy (Italian: Parlamento Italiano) is the national parliament of Italy. ... Walter Veltroni (Rome, 03 July, 1955) is a Italian politician and lead member of the Democrats of the Left party. ... (Redirected from 13 April) April 13 is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the 315-member Senate of the Republic, Berlusconi was projected to control 167 seats to Veltroni's 137. In the Chamber of Deputies, Berlusconi's conservative bloc was leading by a margin of 9%, or 46.5% percent of the vote to 37.5%. Berlusconi capitalized on discontent over the nation's stagnating economy and the unpopularity of Prodi's government. His declared top priorities are the cleaning of piles of trash in the streets of Naples and the improvement of the Italian economy which underperformed the rest of the Eurozone for years. He also asserted to be open to work with the opposition, and pledged to fight tax evasion, reform justice and reduce public debt. He intended to reduce the number of Cabinet ministers to 12.^[21] Berlusconi and his ministers were sworn in on 8 May 2008.^[22] Location of the city of Naples (red dot) within Italy. ... The Eurozone (less frequently called the Euro Area or Euroland) refers to a currency union among the European Union member states that have adopted the euro as their sole official currency. ... Tax rates around the world Tax revenue as % of GDP Economic policy Monetary policy Central bank   Money supply Fiscal policy Spending   Deficit   Debt Trade policy Tariff   Trade agreement Finance Financial market Financial market participants Corporate   Personal Public   Banking   Regulation        Tax avoidance is the legal utilization of the tax regime to... The Prodi II Cabinet has been the cabinet of the government of Italy since May 17, 2006. ... is the 128th day of the year (129th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Policies

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George W. Bush shakes hands with Silvio Berlusconi, during his visit to the Oval Office, Monday, 31 October 2005. White House photo by Eric Draper.

As he founded his Forza Italia party and entered politics, Berlusconi expressed support for "freedom, the individual, family, enterprise, Italian tradition, Christian tradition and love for weaker people".^[23] Forza Italia officially joined the European People's Party in 1999. Forza Italia has never held a formal party congress to formulate its rules, procedures, and democratic ballotting for candidates and issues. There are no known dissenting factions. At present three party conventions have been held, all of them resolved to support Berlusconi, and his re-election by acclamation. Some allies of Berlusconi, especially the Lega Nord, push for controls on immigration. Berlusconi himself has shown some reluctance to pursue such policies as strongly as his allies might like.^[24] A number of measures have been taken, with controversial results. The government, after introducing a controversial immigration law (the "Bossi-Fini", from the names of Lega Nord and National Alliance leaders) is searching for the cooperation of both European and other Mediterranean countries to face the emergency of the large number of immigrants trying to reach Italian coasts on old and overloaded ferries and fishing boats, risking (and, often, losing) their lives. Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... The Oval Office from above in 2003, during the administration of George W. Bush. ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The European Peoples Party (EPP) is the largest transnational European political party. ... The Lega Nord (Northern League, LN), whose complete name is Lega Nord for the Independence of Padania, is an Italian political party founded in 1991 as a federation of several regional parties in northern Italy, most of which had arisen, and all of which had expanded their share of the... Immigration law refers to national government policies which control the phenomenon of immigration to their country. ... National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale, AN) is a national-conservative Italian political party. ...

The Berlusconi governments have had a strong tendency to support American foreign policies despite the policy divide between the U.S. and many other founding members of European Union (Germany, France, Belgium), a break from the traditional Italian foreign policy. Italy, with Berlusconi in office, became a substantial ally to the United States due to his support of the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. This article is about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ...

Berlusconi with Jacques Chirac, George W. Bush and Tony Blair.

Berlusconi, in his meetings with United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and U.S. President George W. Bush, said that he pushed for "a clear turnaround in the Iraqi situation" and for a quick hand-over of sovereignty to the government chosen by the U.N. Italy had some 3,200 troops deployed in Southern Iraq, the third largest contingent there after the American and British forces. Italian troops were gradually withdrawn from Iraq in the second half of 2006 with the last soldiers leaving the country in December of the same year. “Chirac” redirects here. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. ... Kofi Atta Annan GCMG (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

A key point in Berlusconi's government program was a planned reform of the Italian Constitution, which Berlusconi considered to be 'inspired by [the] Soviets',^[25] an issue the coalition parties themselves initially had significantly different opinions about. The Lega Nord insisted on a federalist reform (devolution of more power to the Regions) as the condition itself for remaining in the coalition. Alleanza Nazionale pushed for the so-called 'strong premiership' (more powers to the executive), intended as a counterweight to any federalist reform, in order to preserve the integrity of the State. The UDC asked for a proportional electoral law that would not damage small parties and was generally more willing to discuss compromises with the moderate wing of the opposition.

Difficulties in arranging a mediation caused some internal unrest in the Berlusconi government in 2003, but then they were mostly overcome and the law (comprising power devolution to the regions, Federal Senate and "strong premiership") was passed by the Senate in April 2004; it was slightly modified by the Chamber of Deputies in October 2004, and again on October 2005 and finally approved by the Senate on 16 November 2005. The opposition Union coalition collected more than 500,000 signatures in order to call a referendum, which was held on the 25th and 26 July 2006 and resulted in the rejection of the constitutional reform, refused by 61.3% of the voters. is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Legislative actions

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.(December 2007) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.

Berlusconi's government passed many pieces of legislation, among which:

• The reform of the labour system, with the so called "legge 30" or "legge Biagi", promoting labour flexibility for new workers. It is widespread opinion among Berlusconi's supporters that this law has been the best success of Berlusconi's government, leading to a record-low unemployment level, while critics blame the Biagi law as one of the cause of the "uncertain job" problem affecting many young employees.^{[citation needed]}
• The reform of the school system, called "riforma Moratti" that was quickly put under revision by the centre-left government who followed in charge Berlusconi's government
• The law on large public works (MOSE project saving city of Venice; high speed railways Turin-Milan-Florence-Rome-Naples and Turin-Verona-Venice; bridge between Sicily and mainland Italy; underground in Rome, Parma, Naples, Turin, Milan; modernisation of highways and water structures in southern Italy; "Highways on the sea" project, et al), however most of the projects remained only on paper.^{[citation needed]}
• Abolition of donation and inheritance taxes (these taxes had previously been abolished only for low-income and medium-income taxpayers) - now reinstated for all Italians, regardless of income.^{[citation needed]}
• The abolition of compulsory military service for all male Italians (the armed forces are now composed only of volunteers since 2004, anticipating the deadline set in a law passed by the previous government).
• The Urbani decree, named after the Ministro per i beni e le attività culturali Giuliano Urbani, punishing whoever circulates, even via file sharing software, a film or other copyrighted material or part of it, or enjoys it with the same technology, with a 1,500 € fine, the confiscation of the instruments and the material, and the publication of the measure on a national daily paper and a periodical about shows. The decree was later modified by the parliament to include only copyright violation for the purpose of profit, where "profit" also includes the savings due to not buying the software^{[citation needed]}. The Court of Cassation, however, sentenced that "profit" only means an actual "significant monetary profit".

Other legislation by Berlusconi's governments include: File sharing is the activity of making files available to other users for download over the Internet, but also over smaller networks. ... This article is about motion pictures. ... Not to be confused with copywriting. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

• The reform of rules regarding drivers' licenses, led to a 14.5% decrease in car accidents, and an 18.5% decrease of lethal car accidents, according to the Italian police department. Detractors state this law was actually a small modification to a law previously examined by parliament.^{[citation needed]}
• The increase in taxation on blank data storage devices — this was required by a European Union directive, but the fee in Italy is much higher than in most other EU countries, so that many people now buy them abroad.^{[citation needed]}
• The banning of smoking in offices, pubs, restaurants and all closed public places, which came into effect in January 2005. This was not the first law prohibiting smoking in some public places,^{[citation needed]} but it was the first to be actually enforced in practice in the overwhelming majority of public places.
• The law regulating artificial insemination, banning research on embryonic stem cells, pre-implant diagnosis and insemination by donors other than the husband, forcing women to being implanted after the embryo creation even in case of genetic diseases, recognising the embryo as a human rights bearer. The abrogation of the most controversial items has been the object of an unsuccessful popular referendum called in June 2005 by former allies such as the Italian Radicals, together with some (but not all) parties of L'Unione.
• In a controversial move, the Berlusconi government also passed a new media reform legislation. Among other things, such legislation increased the maximum limit on an individual's share of the media market, allowing Berlusconi to retain control of his three national TV channels (one of which was still using a frequency which by law should have gone to another channel). The legislation also enabled the roll-out of digital television and internet based publishing, and hence his government claimed it resolved the problem of conflict of interest and his media monopoly "by opening up more channels". The law was initially vetoed by the President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, on charges of being anti-constitutional, but it was then forced into law by the Parliament.^{[citation needed]}
• The "Article 41-bis prison regime" for Mafia leaders was legally made a permanent provision. Under previous law, it had to be confirmed every two years. The new pensions' law, issued on July 2004, raised the minimum age for retirement and added incentives for delayed retirement.

Berlusconi has forced through the Parliament reforms designed to strengthen the power of the Prime Minister. In January 2006, the reform was approved by the Parliament, but the popular referendum on June 2006 stopped this reform into becoming law.^{[citation needed]} In October 2005, Berlusconi forced a "reform" of electoral law through Parliament.^{[citation needed]} The First Past the Post system, which had been approved by popular vote in a 1993 referendum was abandoned, returning to the proportional representation system. A data storage device is a device for recording (storing) information (data). ... A directive is a legislative act of the European Union which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. ... AIH redirects here. ... Human embryonic stem cell colony. ... A genetic disorder, or genetic disease is a disease caused, at least in part, by the genes of the person with the disease. ... For other uses, see Embryo (disambiguation). ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Do not confuse the Italian Radicals with the Transnational Radical Party. ... LUnione (The Union in English) is a Italian left-wing coalition of parties. ... Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (born 9 December 1920 in Livorno) is an Italian politician and banker who has been both Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Italian Republic. ... This article is about the criminal society. ... The plurality voting system, also known as first past the post, is a voting system used to elect a single winner in a given election. ...

Other pieces of legislation included:

• the decriminalization of false account statements;
• the suspension of trials against the highest officers of the state during their terms (this law was later declared unconstitutional);
• a much shorter statute of limitation for white-collar crimes, coupled with an increase in sanctions for repeated offenders. The opposition argued that this law was designed to save a close friend of Berlusconi, Cesare Previti, from corruption charges; however, after modifications in parliament, Previti was excluded from the benefits of this law. However, the Constitutional Court had to abolish this exclusion, on ground of equality of all citizens before the law, so at last Previti did benefit from this law.

In the last few days of his term, Berlusconi's parliamentary majority approved many controversial laws, sometimes combining some into unrelated ones. For example, a bill about the Winter Olympics also included controversial provisions tightening penalties for drugs use and peddling.^{[citation needed]} A statute of limitations is a statute in a common law legal system setting forth the maximum period of time, after certain events, that legal proceedings based on those events may begin. ... White-collar workers perform tasks which are less laborious yet often more highly paid than blue-collar workers, who do manual work. ... Cesare Previti (born on October 21, 1934) is a former Italian Defence Minister. ... A runner carries the Olympic torch The Winter Olympic Games, Winter Olympics for short but more correctly The Olympic Winter Games, are the cold-weather counterpart to the Summer Olympic Games. ...

One of the last bills was a penal code reform forbidding prosecutors to appeal against acquittals (defendants could still appeal, though). This law was not signed by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi for being clearly anti-constitutional, since the constitution of Italy provides for equal rights for prosecutors and defendants. The law will have to go through both houses of parliament again. The law was since enacted and declared unconstitutional by Italy's Constitutional Court.^{[citation needed]} In law, an appeal is a process for making a formal challenge to an official decision. ... In criminal law, an acquittal is the legal result of a verdict of not guilty, or some similar end of the proceeding that terminates it with prejudice without a verdict of guilty being entered against the accused. ... Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (born 9 December 1920 in Livorno) is an Italian politician and banker who has been both Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Italian Republic. ... The Constitution of the Italian Republic (Italian, trans. ...

The Economist

One of Berlusconi's strongest critics in the media outside Italy is the British weekly The Economist (nicknamed by Berlusconi "The Ecommunist"), which in its issue of the 26 April 2001 carried a title on its front cover, 'Why Silvio Berlusconi is unfit to lead Italy'.^[26] The war of words between Berlusconi and The Economist has gained notoriety, with Berlusconi taking the publication to court in Rome and The Economist publishing letters against him.^[27] The newspaper claims that the documentation contained in its articles proves that Berlusconi is 'unfit' for office because of his numerous conflicts of interest. The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London. ...

According to The Economist, Berlusconi, while Prime Minister of Italy, retained effective control of 90% of all national television broadcasting.^[28] This figure included stations he owns directly as well as those over which he had indirect control by dint of his position as Prime Minister and his ability to influence the choice of the management bodies of these stations. The Economist has also alleged that Berlusconi is corrupt and self-serving. A key journalist for The Economist, David Lane, has set out many of these accusations in his book Berlusconi's Shadow.^[29]

Lane points out that Berlusconi has not defended himself in court against the main charges, but has relied upon political and legal manipulations, most notably by changing the statute of limitation to prevent charges being completed in the first place. In order to publicly prove the truth of the documented accusations contained in their articles, the newspaper has publicly challenged Berlusconi to sue The Economist for libel.^{[citation needed]}

Influence on the media

Berlusconi's extensive control over the media has been widely criticised by both analysts^[30] and press freedom organisations, who allege Italy's media has limited freedom of expression. The Freedom of the Press 2004 Global Survey, an annual study issued by the American organization Freedom House, downgraded Italy's ranking from 'Free' to 'Partly Free' ^[31] due to Berlusconi's influence over RAI, a ranking which, in "Western Europe" was shared only with Turkey (2005). Reporters Without Borders states that in 2004, "The conflict of interests involving prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and his vast media empire was still not resolved and continued to threaten news diversity". ^[32] In April 2004, the International Federation of Journalists joined the criticism, objecting to the passage of a law vetoed by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in 2003, which critics believe is designed to protect Berlusconi's reported 90% control of the Italian national media.^[33] Freedom of the press is a constitutional right in Italy, secured in 1947. ... Freedom House is a United States-based international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontières, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ... International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, is global union federation of journalists trade unions - the largest in the world. ... Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (born 9 December 1920 in Livorno) is an Italian politician and banker who has been both Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Italian Republic. ...

Berlusconi's influence over RAI became evident when in Sofia, Bulgaria he expressed his views on journalists Enzo Biagi and Michele Santoro ^[34], and comedian Daniele Luttazzi. Berlusconi said that they "use television as a criminal mean of communication". They lost their jobs as a result. ^[35] The TV broadcasting of a satirical program called Raiot was censored in November 2003 after the comedienne Sabina Guzzanti, made outspoken criticism of the Berlusconi media empire.^[36] Mediaset, one of Berlusconi's companies, sued RAI over Guzzanti's program, demanding 20 million euros for "damages"; in November 2003 the show was cancelled by the president of RAI, Lucia Annunziata. The details of the event were made into a Michael Moore-style documentary called Viva Zapatero!, which was produced by Guzzanti. National Theatre, Sofia Alexander Nevski Cathedral The city of Sofia (Bulgarian: София), at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, has a population of 1,208,930 (2003), and is the capital of the Republic of Bulgaria. ... Enzo Biagi on the cover of one of his books. ... Michele Santoro Michele Santoro (Salerno, July 2, 1951) is an Italian journalist, broadcaster, anchorman, and Member of the European Parliament for Southern with the Olive Tree, part of the Socialist Group and sits on the European Parliaments Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. ... Daniele Luttazzi Daniele Luttazzi (born in Santarcangelo di Romagna, Rimini, January 26, 1961), real name Daniele Fabbri, is an Italian comedian, writer, satirist, illustrator and singer/songwriter. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Michael Francis Moore (born April 23, 1954) is an American political-activist, a film director, author, social commentator, and political humorist. ... Viva Zapatero! is a documentary by Sabina Guzzanti telling her side of the story regarding the conflict with Silvio Berlusconi over a late-night TV political satire show broadcast on RAI-3. ...

Mediaset, Berlusconi's television group, has stated that it uses the same criteria as the public (state-owned) television RAI in assigning a proper visibility to all the most important political parties and movements (the so-called 'Par Condicio') - which has been since often disproved.^{[citation needed]} However, the majority of national press, which includes the three largest Italian printed dailies, La Repubblica, Il Corriere della Sera and La Stampa, tend to be either independent of Berlusconi, or, as in the case of La Repubblica, to be actively critical of him.^{[citation needed]} In March 2006, on the Rai Tre, in a television interview with Lucia Annunziata, he stormed out of the studio because of a disagreement with the host journalist regarding the economic consequences of his government.^[37] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... La Repubblica (meaning: The Republic) is an Italian daily newspaper. ... The headquarters in Milan. ... La Stampa is one of the best-known and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers, published in Turin and distributed in Italy and in other nations in Europe. ... Rai Tre is part of RAI, the Italian government broadcasting agency, which owns other channels, such as Rai Uno, Rai Due and Rai Tre (amongst others). ... Lucia Annunziata (Sarno, August 8, 1950) is an Italian journalist. ...

Conflicts of interest

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To understand the controversies over a conflict of interest between Berlusconi's personal business empire and his political functions, one must examine the structure of governmental control over the state media. The law allowed the two presidents of the Lower and Upper Houses to nominate the president of RAI and its board of directors. In practice, the decision is a political one, which generally results in some opposition representatives becoming directors, while appointments are made by the government to secure a majority by allocating top managerial posts to people sympathetic to the existing government. It was normal to have two directors and the president for the parliamentary majority, and two directors for the opposition. A parliamentary supervisory commission also exists, whose president, by tradition, is a member of the opposition. During the Baldassarre presidency of RAI, the two opposition directors and the one closer to the UDC left over internal disagreements that mainly regarded issues of censorship. RAI continued to be run by a two-man team (mockingly nicknamed by the opposition the Japanese after the Japanese soldiers who kept fighting on in the Pacific Ocean after the end of World War II). This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

The former Italian Left coalition under Prodi had been often criticized for not approving a law to regulate the potential conflict of interest that might arise between media ownership and the holding of political office, despite having governed Italy for an entire legislature. In the early 1990s, Berlusconi's Media Group was close to bankruptcy, partly due to competition from the public broadcaster RAI. Berlusconi said that the only way out was to make a deal with RAI to end competition (essentially, to make a cartel), lower both costs and the quality of programs, and fix audience share to about 45% each. In 2002, Luciano Violante, a prominent member of the Left, said the following in a speech in Parliament: Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration—see text) in the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see Competition (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For the American pop-punk band, see Cartel (band). ... Luciano Violante was born 25 September 1941 in Dire Daua (Ethiopia). ... Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati, one house of the bicameral parliamentary system, seats 630 members of which 475 are directly elected and 155 by regional proportional representation. ...

Honourable Anedda, I invite you to ask the honourable Berlusconi, because he certainly knows that he received a full guarantee in 1994, when the government changed — that TV stations would not be touched. He knows it and the Honourable Letta knows it^[38] Gianni Letta (born April 15, 1935 in Avezzano) is an Italian politician, member of the Forza Italia party. ...

The authors of the book Inciucio²⁶ cite this sentence as evidence for the idea that the Left made a deal with Berlusconi in 1994, in which a promise was made not to honour a law in the Constitutional Court of Italy that would have required Berlusconi to give up one of his three TV channels in order to uphold pluralism and competition. According to the authors, this would be an explanation of why the Left, despite having won the 1996 elections, didn't pass a law to solve the conflicts of interest between media ownership and politics. The Constitutional Court of Italy (Italian: Corte costituzionale della Repubblica Italiana) is the supreme court of Italy. ...

Controversy concerning Berlusconi's conflicts of interest are normally centered around the use of his media and marketing power for political gain. However, there is also controversy regarding his financial gains. When RAI was being run by a two-man team appointed by the presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate (both in Berlusconi's coalition), the state broadcaster increased its viewers, but lost a significant share of its advertising revenue to the rival Mediaset group, owned and run by the Berlusconi family, which has led to large personal gain. Berlusconi has many financial interests, and much of his legislation had a direct financial impact on his fortune.^{[citation needed]}

His government has passed some laws that have shortened statutory terms for tax fraud. Berlusconi responded to critics by saying that he would not take advantage of these himself, but later did.^{[citation needed]} Romano Prodi, who defeated Berlusconi in 2006, claimed that these were ad personam laws, meant to solve Berlusconi's problems and defend his interests.^{[citation needed]} Prodi redirects here. ...

Jokes and blunders

Berlusconi is notorious for his questionable sense of humor. In February of 2002, at a European Union summit of foreign ministers, Berlusconi, present since the replacement of his previous foreign minister, Renato Ruggiero, had not yet been appointed, made a vulgar gesture (the "corna") behind the head of the Spanish foreign minister, Josep Piqué, intimating he was a cuckold during an official photoshoot. This is a common joke among Italian children, but many felt it was utterly out of place in an international meeting. He later explained that he 'was just kidding', and was trying to create a relaxed atmosphere, that this sort of meeting was meant to 'create friendship, cordiality, fondness and kind relationships' between the participants, and that he wanted to amuse a small group of Boy Scout bystanders.^[39] A minister for foreign affairs, or foreign minister, is a governmental cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign nation. ... Renato Ruggiero (born April 9, 1930) is an Italian politician. ... The Corna or Devil Horns The corna (Italian for horns, also mano cornuta, horned hand and fare le corna, to make the horns) is a gesture with a vulgar meaning in Mediterranean countries and a variety of meanings and uses in other cultures. ... Josep Piqué (February 21, 1955) is a politician of the right-wing Spanish Peoples Party. ... A cuckold is a married man whose wife has sex with other men. ... The Scout Movement in Italy consists of about 40 different associations and federations with about 220,000 Scouts and Guides. ...

On 2 July 2003, one day after taking over the rotating presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, he was heavily criticised by the German SPD Member of the European Parliament Martin Schulz because of his domestic policy and his alledged link to the Mafia. Berlusconi responded: 'Mr Schulz, I know a movie producer in Italy who is making a movie about Nazi concentration camps. I suggest you play the role of a Kapo. You are perfect for the part!'. Berlusconi insisted that he was only joking, but soon after accused Martin Schulz and others leftish MEPs to be "bad-willing tourists of democracy". His comparisons with the Nazis caused a brief cooling of Italy's relationship with Germany.^{[citation needed]} is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The word Presidency is often used to describe the collective administrative and governmental entity that exists around an office of president of a state or nation. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations by or about: European Union The European Union On-Line Official EU website, europa. ... SPD redirects here. ... A Member of the European Parliament (English abbreviation MEP)[1] is a member of the European Unions directly-elected legislative body, the European Parliament. ... Martin Schulz Martin Schulz (born on 20 December 1955 in Hehlrath) is a German politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Chairman of the Socialist Group and . ... A concentration camp is a large detention centre created for political opponents, aliens, specific ethnic or religious groups, civilians of a critical war-zone, or other groups of people, often during a war. ... Kapo was a term used for certain prisoners who worked inside the Nazi concentration camps during World War II. The name stood for Kameradenpolizei, comrade police, and referred to prisoners who have been recruited by their captors to police their fellow prisoners. ...

In 2003, during an interview with Nicholas Farrell and Boris Johnson, then editor of The Spectator magazine, Berlusconi claimed that Mussolini "had been a benign dictator who did not murder opponents but sent them “on holiday”.^[40] Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964, better known as Boris Johnson)[2] is a British politician and the current Mayor of London; he is also a journalist and author, formerly serving as editor of The Spectator. ... Cover of the Nov 12, 2005 issue of The Spectator magazine. ... Mussolini redirects here. ...

In mid-May 2005, while opening the European Food Safety Authority in Parma (preferred over a Finnish location, after Berlusconi made an assertion of Finns "not knowing what prosciutto is"), Berlusconi claimed that he had to "dust off my playboy skills" with the Finnish president, Tarja Halonen, to convince her to locate the EFSA in Parma. This caused criticism from both Italy and Finland, with the Italian ambassador in Finland being summoned by the Finnish foreign minister.^[41] Berlusconi later 'retracted' the comment by saying that "anyone who had seen a picture of Halonen must have been aware that he had been joking".^{[citation needed]} Before that, speaking to a group of Wall Street traders, he listed a series of reasons to invest in Italy. The first of them was that "we have the most beautiful secretaries in the world". This resulted in uproar in Italy, where, for a day, female deputies in Parliament took part in a cross-party protest.^{[citation needed]} The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), an agency of the European Union, began operating in 2002. ... This article is about the Italian city. ... Prosciutto Prosciutto (IPA: ) is the Italian word for ham, used in English to refer to dry-cured ham (prosciutto crudo). ... {{Infobox President|name= Tarja Halonen |order=11th President of Finland |image=Finland. ... For other uses, see Ambassador (disambiguation). ...

In March 2006, Berlusconi defended accusations he made that the "Chinese Communists used to eat children", by responding with claims that "... read the Black Book of Communism and you will discover that in the China of Mao, they did not eat children, but had them boiled to fertilise the fields". He later admitted, "[I]t was questionable irony ... because this joke is questionable. But I did not know how to restrain myself." His political opponent, Romano Prodi, told the press, "The damage caused to Italy by an insult to 1.3 billion people is by all means a considerable one", and that Berlusconi's comments were "unthinkable". ^[42] Communist Party of China flag The Communist Party of China (Simplified Chinese: 中国共产党; Traditional Chinese: 中國共産黨; pinyin: Zhōnggu ngchǎndǎng) is the ruling party of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression is a controversial book edited by doctor Stéphane Courtois which attempts to catalog various crimes (deaths, torture, deportations, etc. ... Mao could refer to: Mao Zedong, (Mao Tse-Tung in Wade-Giles) leader of the Communist Party of China from 1935 to 1976. ... Prodi redirects here. ...

On 4 April 2006, less than a week before the upcoming political elections in Italy, during a speech given at the National Chamber for Trade, Berlusconi stated that he holds "too high esteem of the Italians' intelligence to think that there are so many coglioni [literally "testicles", a vulgar term often used about people considered stupid] around voting against their interest". He later apologized for the "rude but effective language". ^[43] is the 94th day of the year (95th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

At an awards dinner in January 2007, Berlusconi was quoted as saying, "If I wasn't already married, I would marry you right away," and "With you, I'd go anywhere" to Mara Carfagna, a representative of Forza Italia and former showgirl. These flirtatious comments prompted his wife Veronica to demand an apology in a front-page letter to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, one of Berlusconi's rival publications. In a statement released through his political party, he begged for forgiveness and stated that he would "always protect [Veronica's] dignity."^[44] Mara Carfagna is now serving under him as minister for Equal Opportunities. Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ... La Repubblica (meaning: The Republic) is an Italian daily newspaper. ...

In the run up to the 2008 Italian general election, Berlusconi claimed that right-wing female politicians were better looking than their left-wing counterparts. Berlusconi was quoted as telling local media that the left had "no taste" in women. His remarks provoked an angry reaction from Italian centre-left parties, which accused him of being sexist. He promised to name at least four women in his cabinet if he was elected as prime minister for a third time. Berlusconi was quoted as saying that when he looked round parliament, he found that female politicians from the right were "more beautiful" and that "The left has no taste, even when it comes to women".^[45]

Since the 2008 general election, Berlusconi has already begun to court controversy on the European level. He has publicly criticized the current composition of the Council of Ministers of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain as being too "pink" by virtue of the fact that it has (once the President of the Council, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is counted) an equal number of men and women. He also stated that he doubted that such a composition would be possible in Italy given the "prevalence of men" in Italian politics. ^[46]   (IPA: ) (born 4 August 1960), better known under his second surname Zapatero, is the Prime Minister of Spain. ...

Legal investigations about Berlusconi

Delaying tactics

Silvio Berlusconi has an extensive record of indictments, as various criminal charges have been made against him and his companies over the years (see also the following subsection on Berlusconi's trials), including mafia collusion, false accounting, tax fraud, corruption and bribery of police officers and judges. Some of Berlusconi's close collaborators, friends and firm managers have been found guilty of related crimes, notably his brother, Paolo, who in 2002 agreed to pay 52,000,000 euros as a plea bargain for various charges including corruption. Silvio Berlusconi has never been convicted in any trial. The Italian legal system allows the statute of limitations to continue to run during the course of the criminal trial. Consequently, the delaying tactics adopted by Berlusconi's attorneys (including repeated motions for change of venue) served to nullify a pending charge in one case.

Membership of "Propaganda Due" (P2) masonic lodge

In 1981, a scandal arose after the police discovery of Licio Gelli's secret freemasonry lodge Propaganda Due (P2), which aimed to move the Italian political system in a more authoritarian regime to oppose communism. The list of people involved in P2 included members of the secret services and some prominent characters from political arena, business, military and media. Silvio Berlusconi, who was then just starting to gain popularity as the founder and owner of "Canale 5" TV network, was listed as a member of P2.^[47] The P2 lodge was dissolved by the Italian parliament in December 1981 and a law was passed declaring similar organizations illegal, but no specific crimes were alleged against individual members of the P2 lodge.^{[citation needed]}. Licio Gelli (born in Pistoia, Tuscany, April 21, 1919), was the masonic Worshipful Master of the powerful Italian lodge Propaganda Due (P2), involved in Gladios strategy of tension. He has been involved in almost all of the Italian scandals in the past three decades (Tangentopoli, which led to the... This box:      Propaganda Due or P2 was an irregular or black Masonic lodge that operated in Italy from 1877-1981, headed in its final decades by Licio Gelli. ... The term authoritarian is used to describe an organization or a state which enforces strong and sometimes oppressive measures against the population, generally without attempts at gaining the consent of the population. ... This article is about the form of society and political movement. ...

Berlusconi later (in 1989) sued three journalists for libel for writing articles hinting at his involvement in financial crimes^{[citation needed]}. In the court, he declared that he had joined the P2 lodge "only for a very short time before the scandal broke" and "he had not even paid the entry fee". Such statements conflicted with the findings of the parliamentary commission appointed to investigate the lodge's activity, with material evidence, and even with previous testimony of Berlusconi, all of which showing that he had actually been a member of P2 since 1978 and had indeed paid a 100,000 Italian liras entry fee. Because of this a court of appeal condemned him for perjury in 1990, but this conviction was expunged by the 1989 amnesty.^{[citation needed]} Court of Appeals or (outside the U.S. and in some American states) Court of Appeal is the title of a court which has the power to consider or hear an appeal. ... Perjury is the act of lying or making verifiably false statements on a material matter under oath or affirmation in a court of law or in any of various sworn statements in writing. ... Look up Amnesty in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Bettino Craxi

Berlusconi's career as an entrepreneur is also often questioned by his detractors. The allegations made against him generally include suspicions about the extremely fast increase of his activity as a construction entrepreneur in years 1961-63, hinting at the possibility that in those years he received money from unknown and possibly illegal sources. These accusations are regarded by Berlusconi and his supporters as empty slander, trying to undermine Berlusconi's reputation of a self-made man. Frequently cited by opponents are also events dating to the 1980s, including supposed "favor exchanges" between Berlusconi and the former Socialist prime minister Bettino Craxi, indicted in 1992-94 for various corruption charges. Berlusconi acknowledges a personal friendship to Craxi. In English and American law, and systems based on them, libel and slander are two forms of defamation (or defamation of character), which is the tort or delict of making a false statement of fact that injures someones reputation. ... Benedetto (Bettino) Craxi (February 24, 1934 – January 19, 2000) was an Italian politician, head of the Italian Socialist Party from 1976 to 1993, the first socialist President of the Council of Ministers of Italy from 1983 to 1987. ...

On some occasions, which raised a strong upheaval in the Italian political opposition, laws passed by the Berlusconi administration have effectively delayed ongoing trials on him, allowing the statute of limitations to expire, or stopped them entirely. Relevant examples are the law reducing punishment for all cases of false accounting; the new law on international rogatories, which made his Swiss bank records unusable in court against him ⁶; the law on legitimate suspicion, which allowed defendants to request their cases to be moved to another court if they believe that the local judges are biased against them ^7,8; and most importantly the lodo Maccanico law, passed in June 2003, which granted the highest five state officers, including the Prime Minister, immunity from prosecution while in office². This law froze Berlusconi's position in the SME-Ariosto trial in which he was accused of having corrupted judges in previous legal rulings regarding his participation in the public auction of the state-owned food company SME in the 1980s.

The trial was not frozen for other defendants, and former Italian defence minister Cesare Previti was sentenced to 5 years although the crime was reduced from corruption of judges to simple corruption ^9,10. In January 2004 the Lodo Maccanico was nullified by the Constitutional court as it was ruled to be in conflict with the Italian constitution. Subsequently Berlusconi declared his intent to re-introduce the law using the correct procedure for constitutional modification. Because of these legislative acts, political opponents accuse Berlusconi of passing ad personam laws, to protect himself from legal charges; Berlusconi and his allies, on the other hand, maintain that such laws are consistent with everyone's right to a rapid and just trial, and with the principle of presumption of innocence (garantismo); furthermore, they claim that Berlusconi is being subjected to a political "witch hunt", orchestrated by certain (allegedly left-wing) judges ¹¹.

For such reasons, Berlusconi and his government have an ongoing quarrel with the Italian judiciary, which reached its peak in 2003 when Berlusconi commented to a foreign journalist that judges are "mentally disturbed" and "anthropologically different from the rest of the human race", remarks that he later claimed he meant to be directed to specific judges only, and of a humorous nature¹². More seriously, the Berlusconi administration has long been planning a judiciary reform intended to limit the flexibility currently enjoyed by judges and magistrates in their decision-making, but which, according to its critics, will instead limit the magistrature's independence, by de facto subjecting the judiciary to the executive's control. This reform has met almost unanimous dissent from the Italian judges ^13,14 and, after three years of debate and struggle, was passed by the Italian parliament in December 2004, but was immediately vetoed by the Italian President, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi ¹⁵, who said some of the passed laws were "clearly unconstitutional". Presently (February 2005) the law is in process of being re-examined by the parliament, taking into account the President's objections on its constitutionality. Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (born 9 December 1920 in Livorno) is an Italian politician and banker who has been both Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Italian Republic. ...

Berlusconi has also been indicted in Spain for charges of tax fraud and violation of anti-trust laws regarding the private TV network Telecinco, but his status as a member of the European Parliament allowed him to gain immunity from prosecution ¹⁶. Gestevisión Telecinco, S.A., (IBEX-35:TL5) is a Spanish television station, one of the leading Spanish private TV companies, created by Silvio Berlusconi. ...

Alleged links to the Mafia

Several Mafia turncoats have alleged Berlusconi had connections with the Sicilian Mafia. The accusations arise mostly from the hiring of Vittorio Mangano, charged for Mafia association, as a gardner and stable man at Berlusconi's Villa San Martino in Arcore, a small town near Milan. It was Berlusconi's friend Marcello Dell'Utri (convicted of extortion in association with Cosa Nostra in 2004) who introduced Mangano to Berlusconi in 1973. Mangano's real job is alleged to have been to deter kidnappers from targeting the tycoon's children.^[48][49] Berlusconi denied any ties to the Mafia. This article is about the criminal society. ... Vittorio Mangano (18 August 1940, Palermo - 23 July 2000, Palermo) was a member of the Sicilian Mafia or even better Cosa Nostra. ... Country Italy Region Lombardy Province Province of Milan (MI) Mayor Elevation 193 m Area 9. ... Marcello DellUtri (born Palermo, 11 September 1941), Italian politician. ...

Heated debate on this issue emerged again in 2004 when Dell'Utri, the manager of Berlusconi's publishing company Publitalia 80 and a Forza Italia senator was sentenced to nine years by a Palermo court on charge of "external association to the Mafia",^[49][50] a sentence describing Dell'Utri as a mediator between the economical interests of Berlusconi and members of the criminal organization. Berlusconi refused to comment the sentence. Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ... Location of the city of Palermo (red dot) within Italy. ...

In 1996, a Mafia supergrass, Salvatore Cancemi, declared that Berlusconi and Dell'Utri were in direct contact with Salvatore Riina, head of the Sicilian Mafia in the 1980s and 90s. Cancemi disclosed that Fininvest, through Marcello Dell'Utri and mafioso Vittorio Mangano, had paid Cosa Nostra 200 million lire (100 000 euro) annually. The alleged contacts, according to Cancemi, were to lead to legislation favourable to Cosa Nostra, in particular the harsh 41-bis prison regime. The underlying premise was that Cosa Nostra would support Berlusconi's Forza Italia party in return for political favours. ^[51] After a two-year investigation, magistrates closed the inquiry without charges. They did not find evidence to corroborate Cancemi’s allegations. Similarly, a two-year investigation, also launched on evidence from Cancemi, into Berlusconi’s alleged association with the Mafia was closed in 1996.^[48] Salvatore Cancemi (Palermo) was a member of the Sicilian Mafia. ... Salvatore Riina, also known as Totò Riina (born November 16, 1930, Corleone) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organisation in the early 1980s. ... This article is about the criminal society. ... Fininvest is a financial holding company controlled by Silvio Berlusconis family. ... Vittorio Mangano (18 August 1940, Palermo - 23 July 2000, Palermo) was a member of the Sicilian Mafia or even better Cosa Nostra. ... Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ...

According to yet another mafia turncoat, Antonino Giuffrè – arrested on 16 April 2002 – the Mafia turned to Berlusconi's Forza Italia party to look after the Mafia's interests, after the decline in the early 1990s of the ruling party Christian Democracy, whose leaders in Sicily looked after the Mafia's interests in Rome. The Mafia's fall out with the Christian Democrats became clear when Salvo Lima was killed in March 1992. "The Lima murder marked the end of an era," Giuffrè told the court. "A new era opened with a new political force on the horizon which provided the guarantees that the Christian Democrats were no longer able to deliver. To be clear, that party was Forza Italia." ^[52] Mafia turncoat Antonino Giuffrè Antonino Nino Giuffrè (Caccamo, July 21, 1945) is a Sicilian mafioso from Caccamo in the Province of Palermo. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Forza Italia (Forward Italy, FI) [1] is an Italian political party. ... Christian Democracy (Democrazia Cristiana, DC), the Christian democratic party of Italy, dominated government for nearly half a century until its demise amid a welter of corruption allegations in 1992-94. ... Salvatore Lima (died March 12, 1992) was an Italian politician from Sicily who was murdered by the Mafia, with whom he was alleged to have ties with. ...

Dell'Utri was the go-between on a range of legislative efforts to ease pressure on mafiosi in exchange for electoral support, according to Giuffrè. "Dell'Utri was very close to Cosa Nostra and a very good contact point for Berlusconi," he said.^[53] Mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano told Giuffrè that they "were in good hands" with Dell'Utri, who was a "serious and trustworthy person". Provenzano stated that the Mafia's judicial problems would be resolved within 10 years after 1992, thanks to the undertakings given by Forza Italia.^[49][52] Bernardo Provenzano (born January 31, 1933 in Corleone, Italy) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra) and is suspected of having been the head of the Corleonesi, a Mafia faction that originated in the village of Corleone, and de facto capo di tutti capi (boss of bosses) of...

Giuffrè said that Berlusconi himself used to be in touch with Stefano Bontade, a top Mafia boss, in the mid 1970s. At the time Berlusconi still was just a wealthy real estate developer and started his private television empire. Bontade visited Berlusconi's villa in Arcore through his contact Vittorio Mangano.^[54] Berlusconi's lawyer dismissed Giuffrè's testimony as "false" and an attempt to discredit the Prime Minister and his party. Giuffrè said that other Mafia representatives who were in contact with Berlusconi included the Palermo Mafia bosses Filippo Graviano and Giuseppe Graviano.^[55] The Graviano brothers allegedly treated directly with Berlusconi through the business-man Gianni Ienna, somewhere between September/October 1993. The alleged pact with the Mafia fell apart in 2002. Cosa Nostra had achieved nothing. There were no revisions of Mafia trials, no changes in the law of asset seizures and no changes in the harsh Article 41-bis prison regime.^[56] Stefano Bontade (April 23, 1939 - April 23, 1981) was a powerful member of the Sicilan Mafia. ... Country Italy Region Lombardy Province Province of Milan (MI) Mayor Elevation 193 m Area 9. ... Vittorio Mangano (18 August 1940, Palermo - 23 July 2000, Palermo) was a member of the Sicilian Mafia or even better Cosa Nostra. ... Giuseppe Graviano, Mafia boss from the Brancaccio quarter in Palermo Giuseppe Graviano (Palermo, September 30, 1963), is a prominent mafioso from the Brancaccio quarter in Palermo. ...

Dell'Utri's lawyer, Enrico Trantino, dismissed Giuffrè’s allegations as an "anthology of hearsay". He said Giuffrè had perpetuated the trend that every new turncoat would attack Dell'Utri and the former Christian Democrat prime minister Giulio Andreotti in order to earn money and judicial privileges. ^[57] Christian Democracy (Democrazia Cristiana, DC), the Christian democratic party of Italy, dominated government for nearly half a century until its demise amid a welter of corruption allegations in 1992-94. ... Giulio Andreotti (born 14 January 1919 in Rome) is an Italian politician of the centrist Christian Democratic party who served as Prime Minister of Italy 1972-1973, 1976-1979 and 1989-1992. ...

"Jowellgate"

Main article: Tessa Jowell financial allegations

Berlusconi describes the work of prosecutors pursuing him and his associates as a politically-motivated vendetta and attributes their current attentions to the 2008 elections. Over the years, there have been many such accusations but none seem to have made a lasting mark on him. Consequently, the link between him and the difficulties of British Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, has attracted less media attention in Italy than in the United Kingdom, where the media has sensed a whiff of something scandalous (or at least hypocritical and embarrassing) for the government. David Mills, lawyer husband of the British cabinet minister in the Blair government, had acted for Berlusconi in the early 1990s and has been accused by Italian prosecutors of money laundering and of accepting a gift from Berlusconi in return for friendly evidence given as a prosecution witness against Berlusconi. However, Mills has asserted that the money in question did not come from Berlusconi but from another client. No formal indictment has yet been issued but on 10 March 2006 it was reported that prosecuting magistrates in Italy had submitted evidence to a judge, seeking an indictment for bribery against Berlusconi and Mills²⁷: all parties vehemently deny wrong-doing and Berlusconi commented that the timing showed that the prosecution is political. Berlusconi denied meeting Mills. The British media have not yet unearthed anything to warrant Jowell's resignation or which proves the guilt of Mills, Berlusconi or their intermediaries. Mills separated from his wife around this time. The Tessa Jowell financial allegations are a series of allegations surrounding Tessa Jowell, the then United Kingdom Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. ... The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport is a UK cabinet position with responsibility for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. ... Tessa Jowell (born 17 September 1947 in London) is a British politician. ... David Mills may refer to: David L. Mills, an American professor and software engineer David Mills (Canadian politician), a Canadian politician, author, poet and jurist David Mills (cricketer), a New Zealand cricketer David Mills, a fictional police officer in the movie Se7en This is a disambiguation page—a list of... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Trials

Main article: Trials involving Silvio Berlusconi

The many trials involving Silvio Berlusconi are summarised below. ...

References

• "Italy immunity law provokes fury", BBC news, 25 June 2003, Retrieved 2004/12/24
• "Berlusconi in EU 'Nazi' slur", BBC news, 2 July 2003, Retrieved 2004/12/24
• "Berlusconi accused of Mafia links", BBC news, 8 January 2003, Retrieved 2005/1/22
• "Italy's left attacks Berlusconi", BBC news, 11 December 2004, Retrieved 2005/1/22
• "Berlusconi plans to get off the hook", The Observer, 7 October 2001, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Italian Senate passes disputed bill", BBC News, 2 August 2002, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Berlusconi scores double victory", BBC News, 5 November 2002, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Berlusconi ally jailed for bribery", BBC News, 29 April 2003, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Berlusconi ally partially cleared", BBC News, 22 November 2003, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Berlusconi warns 'subversive' judges", BBC News, 8 August 2003, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Berlusconi stuns Italian judges", BBC News, 5 September 2003, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Italian judges fight reforms", BBC News, 20 June 2002, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Italian magistrates go on strike", BBC News, 25 May 2004, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Italian president blocks reforms", BBC News, 16 December 2004, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• Q&A: "Berlusconi's battle with the courts", BBC News, 24 January 2002, Retrieved 2005/2/1
• "Italian premier's brother wants plea bargain in corruption case", Financial Times, 22 April 2002, Retrieved 2005/2/1, reported on the la Margherita (the Daisy) opposition party website.
• "New storm over Berlusconi remarks", BBC News, 11 September 2003, Retrieved 2005/2/2
• "Jewish communities split over Berlusconi", BBC News, 26 September 2003, Retrieved 2005/2/2
• "Berlusconi's life [chronology", paper spread July 2, 2003 among the European parliamentarians by member Gianni Vattimo, written by journalists Marco Travaglio and Peter Gomez.
• "Berlusconi and his mysteries" paper spread July 2, 2003 among the European parliamentarians by member Gianni Vattimo, written by journalists Marco Travaglio and Peter Gomez.
• New York Times journalist Nick Tosches interviewes with Michele Sindona, while imprisoned in the United States:
  • (English) Power On Earth, 1986, Arbor House Pub Co, USA, ISBN 0-87795-796-7

In the parliamentary system a cabinet shuffle is an informal term for an event that occurs when a Head of State or Head of Government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in his or her United States it would very unusual for a president to reassign all the cabinet... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... Newton Leroy Gingrich, (born June 17, 1943), served as the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. ... Richard Keith Dick Armey (born July 7, 1940 in Cando, North Dakota) is a former U.S. Representative from Texas 26th Congressional District (1985–2003) and House Majority Leader (1995–2003). ... The Contract with America was a document released by the Republican Party of the United States during the 1994 Congressional election campaign. ... Orson Welles, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1937 George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 - October 10, 1985) is commonly considered one of Hollywoods greatest directors, as well as a fine actor, broadcaster and screenwriter. ... Citizen Kane is a 1941 classic American dramatic film, the first feature film directed by Orson Welles, who also co-authored the screenplay. ... This article refers to the news department of the British Broadcasting Corporation, for the BBC News Channel see BBC News (TV channel). ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Luciano Violante was born 25 September 1941 in Dire Daua (Ethiopia). ... Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati, one house of the bicameral parliamentary system, seats 630 members of which 475 are directly elected and 155 by regional proportional representation. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... La Repubblica (meaning: The Republic) is an Italian daily newspaper. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article refers to the news department of the British Broadcasting Corporation, for the BBC News Channel see BBC News (TV channel). ... This article refers to the news department of the British Broadcasting Corporation, for the BBC News Channel see BBC News (TV channel). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article refers to the news department of the British Broadcasting Corporation, for the BBC News Channel see BBC News (TV channel). ... This article refers to the news department of the British Broadcasting Corporation, for the BBC News Channel see BBC News (TV channel). ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 12th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 214th day of the year (215th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 112th day of the year (113th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gianni Vattimo at the National Gay Pride march, Como, 1999 Gianni Vattimo (born January 4, 1936) is an internationally recognized Italian author and politician. ... Marco Travaglio (Turin, 1964) is a Italian journalist and writer. ... is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gianni Vattimo at the National Gay Pride march, Como, 1999 Gianni Vattimo (born January 4, 1936) is an internationally recognized Italian author and politician. ... Marco Travaglio (Turin, 1964) is a Italian journalist and writer. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Nick Tosches (born 1949) is an American writer, music journalist, novelist, biographer and poet. ... Michele Sindona (died 1986) was an Italian banker and convicted felon. ...

Non-English language references

• (Italian) Il mistero Sindona
• (German) Geschäfte mit dem Vatikan. Die Affäre Sindona. München 1987. ISBN 3-426-03970-2
• L'odore dei soldi. Origini e misteri delle fortune di Silvio Berlusconi (Elio Veltri and Marco Travaglio, 2001, Editori Riuniti, ISBN 88-359-5007-4 ).
• [2], [3] Journalists Marco Travaglio (interviewed by Daniele Luttazzi in his show Satyricon)
• (Italian) Berlusconi bankruptcy risks and legal investigation before entering politics: Mani pulite. La vera storia. Da Mario Chiesa a Silvio Berlusconi (Gianni Barbacetto, Peter Gomez and Marco Travaglio, 2002, Editori Riuniti, ISBN 88-359-5241-7)
• (Italian) L'amico degli amici. (Marco Travaglio and Peter Gomez, 2005, BUR Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, ISBN 88-17-00707-2)
• (Italian) Article Forza Bahamas, in the column Bananas by Marco Travaglio (17 April 2005, L'Unità). This article has been also published in book Berluscomiche (Marco Travaglio, 2005, Garzanti Libri, ISBN 88-11-59765-X), pp. 431-433. It can be found at: [4] [5]
• (Italian) Inciucio. (Peter Gomez and Marco Travaglio, 2005, BUR Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli, ISBN 88-17-01020-0 ).
• "Italy bid for PM corruption trial", BBC News, 10 March 2006
• "Berlusconi hands in resignation", BBC News, 2 May 2006
• "Berlusconi: Left has uglier women"

Marco Travaglio (Turin, 1964) is a Italian journalist and writer. ... Marco Travaglio (Turin, 1964) is a Italian journalist and writer. ... Daniele Luttazzi Daniele Luttazzi (born in Santarcangelo di Romagna, Rimini, January 26, 1961), real name Daniele Fabbri, is an Italian comedian, writer, satirist, illustrator and singer/songwriter. ... Marco Travaglio (Turin, 1964) is a Italian journalist and writer. ... A columnist is a journalist who produces a specific form of writing for publication called a column. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and the Internet. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... LUnità is an Italian newspaper, published by Democrats of the Left. ...

Documentaries

• "Citizen Berlusconi - The Prime Minister and the Press", 2003
• Viva Zapatero!, directed by Sabina Guzzanti, 2005
• "Quando c'era Silvio"

Viva Zapatero! is a documentary by Sabina Guzzanti telling her side of the story regarding the conflict with Silvio Berlusconi over a late-night TV political satire show broadcast on RAI-3. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Feature films

• "Bye Bye Berlusconi!/Buonanotte Topolino"
• Il Caimano (directed by Nanni Moretti, 2006)

Il caimano (The Caiman) is an Italian comedy-drama movie released in 2006, directed by Nanni Moretti and featuring Silvio Orlando and Margherita Buy. ... Giovanni (Nanni) Moretti (born August 19, 1953) is an Italian film director. ...

See also

• List of national leaders
• List of billionaires

This is a List of national leaders, showing heads of state and heads of government where different, mainly in parliamentary systems; it should be noted that often a leader is both in presidential systems or dictatorships. ... Forbes magazine annually lists the worlds wealthiest individuals: The Worlds Billionaries. ...

External links

• "Silvio Berlusconi and the 2008 election campaign "

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Silvio Berlusconi

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Silvio Berlusconi

• (English) (Italian) ACMilan.it, AC Milan official website
• (English) Profile: Silvio Berlusconi, BBC
• (English) (Italian) Forza Italia, Berlusconi's political movement; click on International for an English version.
• (English) (Italian) (French) (Spanish) (German) A popular paper spread among the members of the European Parliament about Berlusconi's life chronology, mysteries and trials. By Marco Travaglio and Peter Gomez.
• (English) A chronology of Berlusconi's life from Ketupa.net
• (English) Berlusconi cuts stake in television company, IFEX
• (English) Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People
• (English) BBC News Europe: Berlusconi in his own words
• (English) - RussiaToday

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The Group of Eight (G8) consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. ... Gianfranco Fini Gianfranco Fini (born January 3, 1952 in Bologna) is an Italian politician, currently Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in the Government led by Silvio Berlusconi. ... The Italian order of precedence is fixed partly by Royal Decree no. ... In Italy, the President of the Council of Ministers (Italian: Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) is the countrys prime minister or head of government, and occupies the fourth-most important state office. ... Anthem Marcia Reale dOrdinanza (Royal March of Ordinance)¹ The Kingdom of Italy at the height of its power in 1940. ... For the aircraft carrier, see Cavour (550). ... Bettino, baron Ricasoli (March 29, 1809 – October 23, 1880; IPA: ) was an Italian statesman. ... Urbano Rattazzi (June 20, 1808 – June 5, 1873) was an Italian statesman. ... 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Baron Giorgio Sidney Sonnino (March 11, 1847 – November 24, 1922) was an Italian politician. ... Giovanni Giolitti (October 27, 1842–July 17, 1928) was an Italian statesman. ... Baron Giorgio Sidney Sonnino (March 11, 1847 – November 24, 1922) was an Italian politician. ... Luigi Luzzatti (March 11, 1841–March 29, 1927) was an Italian political figure. ... Giovanni Giolitti (October 27, 1842–July 17, 1928) was an Italian statesman. ... Antonio Salandra (Troia, Foggia province, 1853 - Rome, 1931) was a conservative Italian politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy between 1914 and 1916. ... Paolo Boselli (Savona, June 8, 1838 - Rome, March 10, 1932) was an Italian politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy during World War I. Boselli, a relatively undistinguished politician of the right-center who, at 78, was one of the oldest deputies in the Italian parliament, was appointed Prime... Vittorio Orlando Vittorio Emanuele Orlando (May 19, 1860 - December 1, 1952) was an Italian diplomat and political figure. ... Francesco Saverio Vincenzo de Paola Nitti (Melfi, July 19, 1868 - Rome, February 20, 1953) was an Italian economist and political figure. ... Giovanni Giolitti (October 27, 1842–July 17, 1928) was an Italian statesman. ... Ivanoe Bonomi (October 18, 1873 April 20, 1951) was an Italian politician and statesman. ... Luigi Facta (November 16, 1861 - November 5, 1930) was an Italian politician and journalist. ... Mussolini redirects here. ... Pietro Badoglio (September 28, 1871 - November 1, 1956) was an Italian soldier and politician. ... Ivanoe Bonomi (October 18, 1873 April 20, 1951) was an Italian politician and statesman. ... Ferruccio Parri (January 19, 1890 - December 8, 1981), Pinerolo, Piedmont was an Italian politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy for several months in 1945. ... Alcide De Gasperi (3 April 1881 – 19 August 1954) was an Italian statesman and politician. ... Italian Republic De Gasperi · Pella · Fanfani · Scelba · Segni · Zoli · Fanfani · Segni · Tambroni · Fanfani · Leone · Moro · Leone · Rumor · Colombo · Andreotti · Rumor · Moro · Andreotti · Cossiga · Forlani · Spadolini · Fanfani · Craxi · Fanfani · Goria · De Mita · Andreotti · Amato · Ciampi · Berlusconi · Dini · Prodi · D'Alema · Amato · Berlusconi · Prodi  · Berlusconi Image File history File links CoA_fam_ITA_savoia. ... Image File history File links Italy-Emblem. ... Alcide De Gasperi (3 April 1881 – 19 August 1954) was an Italian statesman and politician. ... Giuseppe Pella (April 18, 1902-1981) was an Italian Christian Democratic politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy from 1953 to 1954. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Mario Scelba (1901-1991) was an Italian Christian Democratic politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy from 1954-1955. ... Antonio Segni (February 2, 1891 – December 1, 1972) was an Italian politician who was President of the Italian Republic from 1962 to 1964. ... Adone Zoli (December 16, 1887 – February 20, 1960) was an Italian politician of the Christian Democratic Party. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Antonio Segni (February 2, 1891 – December 1, 1972) was an Italian politician who was President of the Italian Republic from 1962 to 1964. ... Fernando Tambroni [Fernando Tambroni Armaroli] (Ascoli Piceno 1901 – Roma 1963) was an Italian politician of the Christian Democratic Party. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Giovanni Leone (November 3, 1908 – November 9, 2001) was an Italian politician. ... Aldo Moro (September 23, 1916 in Maglie – May 9, 1978 in Rome) was an Italian politician and five time Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. ... Giovanni Leone (November 3, 1908 – November 9, 2001) was an Italian politician. ... Mariano Rumor (June 16, 1915 – 22 January 1990) was an Italian politician, a member of the Democrazia Cristiana and several times Prime Minister of Italy. ... Emilio Colombo (born April 11, 1920) is an Italian diplomat and politician. ... Giulio Andreotti (born 14 January 1919 in Rome) is an Italian politician of the centrist Christian Democratic party who served as Prime Minister of Italy 1972-1973, 1976-1979 and 1989-1992. ... Mariano Rumor (June 16, 1915 – 22 January 1990) was an Italian politician, a member of the Democrazia Cristiana and several times Prime Minister of Italy. ... Aldo Moro (September 23, 1916 in Maglie – May 9, 1978 in Rome) was an Italian politician and five time Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. ... Giulio Andreotti (born 14 January 1919 in Rome) is an Italian politician of the centrist Christian Democratic party who served as Prime Minister of Italy 1972-1973, 1976-1979 and 1989-1992. ... Francesco Cossiga (born July 26, 1928) is an Italian politician and former President of the Italian Republic. ... Arnaldo Forlani (born December 8, 1925) is an Italian statesman who served as Prime Minister of Italy from October 18, 1980 through May 26, 1981. ... Giovanni Spadolini (Florence, June 21, 1925 – Rome, August 6, 1994) was a liberal Italian politician, prime minister, newspaper editor, journalist, and a noted historian. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Benedetto (Bettino) Craxi (February 24, 1934 – January 19, 2000) was an Italian politician, head of the Italian Socialist Party from 1976 to 1993, the first socialist President of the Council of Ministers of Italy from 1983 to 1987. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Giovanni Giuseppe Goria (July 30, 1943- May 21, 1994) was an Italian politician. ... Ciriaco Luigi de Mita (born February 2, 1928) is an Italian politician. ... Giulio Andreotti (born 14 January 1919 in Rome) is an Italian politician of the centrist Christian Democratic party who served as Prime Minister of Italy 1972-1973, 1976-1979 and 1989-1992. ... Giuliano Amato (born May 13, 1938) is an Italian politician. ... Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (born 9 December 1920 in Livorno) is an Italian politician and banker who has been both Prime Minister of Italy and President of the Italian Republic. ... Lamberto Dini (right) with William Cohen Lamberto Dini (born in Florence, March 1, 1931), is a former Italian Prime Minister (1995-1996) and Foreign Minister (1996-2001). ... Prodi redirects here. ... Massimo DAlema (born April 20, 1949) is an Italian politician, currently Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Council of Ministers of Italy. ... Giuliano Amato (born May 13, 1938) is an Italian politician. ... Prodi redirects here. ... v • d • e Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kingdom of Italy Cavour · Ricasoli · Rattazzi · Pasolini · Visconti-Venosta · La Marmora · Visconti-Venosta · Campello · Menabrea · Visconti-Venosta · Melefari · Depretis · Corti · Cairoli · Depretis · Cairoli · Mancini · Depretis · Robilant · Depretis · Crispi · Starabba di Rudinì · Brin · De Blanc · Caetani · Capelli · Canevaro · Visconti-Venosta · Prinetti · Tittoni · Paternò-Castello · Guicciardini · Tittoni · Guicciardini · Paternò-Castello · Barone Sidney Sonnino · Tittoni · Scialoja · Sforza · Tommasi della Torretta · Schanzer · Mussolini · Grandi · Mussolini · Ciano · Mussolini · Guariglia · Badoglio · Bonomi · De Gasperi This is a list of Italian Ministers of Foreign Affairs since 1943. ... Anthem Marcia Reale dOrdinanza (Royal March of Ordinance)¹ The Kingdom of Italy at the height of its power in 1940. ... For the aircraft carrier, see Cavour (550). ... Bettino, baron Ricasoli (March 29, 1809 – October 23, 1880; IPA: ) was an Italian statesman. ... Urbano Rattazzi (June 20, 1808 – June 5, 1873) was an Italian statesman. ... Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora (November 18, 1804–January 5, 1878) was a Pornstar for the company Weapons of Ass Destruction and a patriot. ... Federico Luigi, Conte Menabrea, Marquis of Valdora (September 4, 1809 - May 24, 1896), Italian general and statesman, was born at Chambry. ... Agostino Depretis (January 31, 1813 – July 29, 1887) was an Italian statesman. ... Benedetto Cairoli (January 28, 1825 – August 8, 1889) was an Italian statesman. ... Agostino Depretis (January 31, 1813 – July 29, 1887) was an Italian statesman. ... Benedetto Cairoli (January 28, 1825 – August 8, 1889) was an Italian statesman. ... Agostino Depretis (January 31, 1813 – July 29, 1887) was an Italian statesman. ... Agostino Depretis (January 31, 1813 – July 29, 1887) was an Italian statesman. ... Francesco Crispi (October 4, 1819 – August 12, 1901) was a 19th century Italian politician. ... Antonio Starabba, Marchese di Rudinì (April 16, 1839 – August 7, 1908) was Prime Minister of Italy between 1891 and 1892 and from 1896 until 1898. ... Benedetto Brin. ... Tommaso Tittoni (November 16, 1855 - February 7, 1931) was an italian diplomat, politician and knight of the Annunziata, born in Rome, where he turn back only in 1870, because his Father Vincenzo, a devoted to the Risorgimento, in 1860 was forced to flee the Papal States. ... Tommaso Tittoni (November 16, 1855 - February 7, 1931) was an italian diplomat, politician and knight of the Annunziata, born in Rome, where he turn back only in 1870, because his Father Vincenzo, a devoted to the Risorgimento, in 1860 was forced to flee the Papal States. ... Tommaso Tittoni (November 16, 1855 - February 7, 1931) was an italian diplomat, politician and knight of the Annunziata, born in Rome, where he turn back only in 1870, because his Father Vincenzo, a devoted to the Risorgimento, in 1860 was forced to flee the Papal States. ... Count (Conte) Carlo Sforza was born in Montignoso di Lunigiana, Italy in 1873. ... Pietro Paolo Tomasi, marchese Della Torretta (April 7, 1873 - December 4, 1962) was an Italian politician and diplomat, a member of the noble family of the Princes of Lampedusa. ... Mussolini redirects here. ... Count Dino Grandi (1895-1988), born in Mordano (BO), Emilia. ... Mussolini redirects here. ... Gian Galeazzo Ciano, Count of Cortellazzo and Buccari (March 18, 1903 – January 11, 1944), was Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Benito Mussolinis son-in-law. ... Mussolini redirects here. ... Pietro Badoglio (September 28, 1871 - November 1, 1956) was an Italian soldier and politician. ... Ivanoe Bonomi (October 18, 1873 April 20, 1951) was an Italian politician and statesman. ... Alcide De Gasperi (3 April 1881 – 19 August 1954) was an Italian statesman and politician. ... Italian Republic De Gasperi · Nenni · Sforza · De Gasperi · Pella · Piccioni · Martino · Pella · Fanfani · Pella · Segni · Fanfani · Piccioni · Saragat · Moro · Fanfani · Moro · Fanfani · Medici · Nenni · Moro · Medici · Moro · Rumor · Forlani · Malfatti · Ruffini · Colombo · Andreotti · De Michelis · Scotti · Amato · Colombo · Andreatta · Elia · Martino · Agnelli · Dini · Amato · Ruggiero · Berlusconi · Frattini · Fini · D'Alema Image File history File links CoA_fam_ITA_savoia. ... Image File history File links Italy-Emblem. ... Alcide De Gasperi (3 April 1881 – 19 August 1954) was an Italian statesman and politician. ... Pietro Sandro Nenni (February 9, 1891—Rome, January 1, 1980) was an Italian socialist politician, the national secretary of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) and lifetime Senator since 1970. ... Count (Conte) Carlo Sforza was born in Montignoso di Lunigiana, Italy in 1873. ... Alcide De Gasperi (3 April 1881 – 19 August 1954) was an Italian statesman and politician. ... Giuseppe Pella (April 18, 1902-1981) was an Italian Christian Democratic politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy from 1953 to 1954. ... Attilio Piccioni (Poggio Bustone, July 14, 1892 - March 10, 1976) was an Italian politician. ... Gaetano Martino (Messina, November 25, 1900 - Rome, July 21, 1967) was an Italian politician and university teacher. ... Giuseppe Pella (April 18, 1902-1981) was an Italian Christian Democratic politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy from 1953 to 1954. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Giuseppe Pella (April 18, 1902-1981) was an Italian Christian Democratic politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy from 1953 to 1954. ... Antonio Segni (February 2, 1891 – December 1, 1972) was an Italian politician who was President of the Italian Republic from 1962 to 1964. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Attilio Piccioni (Poggio Bustone, July 14, 1892 - March 10, 1976) was an Italian politician. ... Giuseppe Saragat (IPA [sa:ragat]) (September 19, 1898 - June 11, 1988) was an Italian politician who was the President of the Italian Republic from 1964 to 1971. ... Aldo Moro (September 23, 1916 in Maglie – May 9, 1978 in Rome) was an Italian politician and five time Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Aldo Moro (September 23, 1916 in Maglie – May 9, 1978 in Rome) was an Italian politician and five time Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. ... Amintore Fanfani (6 February 1908 – 20 November 1999) was an Italian politician and Prime Minister. ... Giuseppe Medici (Sassuolo, October 24, 1907 - Modena, August 21, 2000) was an Italian politician. ... Pietro Sandro Nenni (February 9, 1891—Rome, January 1, 1980) was an Italian socialist politician, the national secretary of the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) and lifetime Senator since 1970. ... Aldo Moro (September 23, 1916 in Maglie – May 9, 1978 in Rome) was an Italian politician and five time Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. ... Giuseppe Medici (Sassuolo, October 24, 1907 - Modena, August 21, 2000) was an Italian politician. ... Aldo Moro (September 23, 1916 in Maglie – May 9, 1978 in Rome) was an Italian politician and five time Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. ... Mariano Rumor (June 16, 1915 – 22 January 1990) was an Italian politician, a member of the Democrazia Cristiana and several times Prime Minister of Italy. ... Arnaldo Forlani (born December 8, 1925) is an Italian statesman who served as Prime Minister of Italy from October 18, 1980 through May 26, 1981. ... Franco Maria Malfatti (June 13, 1927 - 1991), was an Italian politician. ... Attilio Ruffini (born December 31, 1925 in Mantua) is an Italian politician. ... Emilio Colombo (born April 11, 1920) is an Italian diplomat and politician. ... Giulio Andreotti (born 14 January 1919 in Rome) is an Italian politician of the centrist Christian Democratic party who served as Prime Minister of Italy 1972-1973, 1976-1979 and 1989-1992. ... Gianni De Michelis Gianni De Michelis (born on 26 November 1940 in Venezia) is an Italian politician and Member of the European Parliament for Southern with the NPSI, and is therefore a Non-Inscrit in the European Parliament waiting for the acceptance of his partys request of membership in... Vincenzo Scotti (born September 16, 1933 in Naples) is an Italian politician and member of Christian Democracy. ... Giuliano Amato (born May 13, 1938) is an Italian politician. ... Emilio Colombo (born April 11, 1920) is an Italian diplomat and politician. ... Beniamino Andreatta (Trento, August 11, 1928 - Bologna, March 26, 2007) was an Italian economist and politician. ... Leopoldo Elia (born November 4, 1925 in Fano) is an Italian politician. ... Antonio Martino (born December 22, 1942 in Messina) has been Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1994 and Italian Minister of Defense from 2001 to 2006. ... Susanna Agnelli (born April 24, 1922 in Turin) is an Italian politician. ... Lamberto Dini (right) with William Cohen Lamberto Dini (born in Florence, March 1, 1931), is a former Italian Prime Minister (1995-1996) and Foreign Minister (1996-2001). ... Giuliano Amato (born May 13, 1938) is an Italian politician. ... Renato Ruggiero (born April 9, 1930) is an Italian politician. ... Franco Frattini (born 14 March 1957) is an Italian politician, currently serving as European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security. ... Gianfranco Fini Gianfranco Fini (born January 3, 1952 in Bologna) is an Italian politician, currently Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in the Government led by Silvio Berlusconi. ... Massimo DAlema (born April 20, 1949) is an Italian politician, currently Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President of the Council of Ministers of Italy. ... v • d • e European Council President: Janša (SI) · Gusenbauer (AT) · Leterme (BE) · Stanishev (BG) · Topolánek (CZ) · Christofias (CY) · Merkel (DE) · Rasmussen (DK) · Ansip (ET) · Vanhanen (FI) · Sarkozy (FR) · Karamanlis (GR) · Gyurcsány (HU) · Cowen (IE) · Berlusconi (IT) · Godmanis (LV) · Kirkilas (LT) · Juncker (LU) · Gonzi (MT) · Balkenende (NL) · Tusk (PL) · Sócrates (PT) · Popescu-Tăriceanu (RO) · Fico (SK) · Zapatero (ES) · Reinfeldt (SE) · Brown (UK) · Barroso (EC) v • d • e G8 Leaders Stephen Harper · Nicolas Sarkozy · Angela Merkel · Silvio Berlusconi · Yasuo Fukuda · Dmitry Medvedev · Gordon Brown · George W. Bush Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This article deals with the meeting of European Union leaders. ... Janez JanÅ¡a (born September 17, 1958 as Ivan JanÅ¡a) in Ljubljana is a Slovenian politician and head of the Slovenian Democratic Party since 1995. ... There have been five prime ministers of Slovenia since that country gained its independence in the breakup of Yugoslavia. ... Alfred Gusenbauer (born February 8, 1960) has been the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) since 2000. ... The Chancellor of Austria (in German: Bundeskanzler) is the head of government in Austria. ... Yves Camille Désiré Leterme (born October 6, 1960 in Wervik, Belgium) is a Belgian Senator, a former Minister-President of Flanders and Flemish Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Belgium, known regionally as: Premier Ministre in French, Eerste Minister in Dutch, and Premierminister in German. ... Sergey Dmitrievich Stanishev (Bulgarian: Сергей Станишев) (born May 5, 1966), Bulgarian politician, is Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). ... Chairmen of the Council of Ministers, 1879-1991 Prime Ministers, 1991-present See also History of Bulgaria Politics of Bulgaria List of Bulgarian monarchs List of Presidents of Bulgaria Categories: Lists of office-holders | Prime Ministers of Bulgaria ... Mirek Topolánek (pronounced ) (born May 15, 1956 in Vsetín, Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic) is the current prime minister of Czech Republic, from Civic Democratic Party. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic, including the period when the republics territory was part of federative Czechoslovakia. ... Dimitris Christofias (Greek: Δημήτρης Χριστόφιας) is a chubby Cypriot politician who is the General Secretary of AKEL and the President of the House of Representatives (Cypriot Parliament). ... The President of Cyprus is the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Cyprus. ...   (IPA: ) (born Angela Dorothea Kasner, 17 July 1954, in Hamburg, Germany), is the Chancellor of Germany. ... The head of government of Germany is called Chancellor (German: Kanzler). ... Anders Fogh Rasmussen , also: (born January 26, 1953) is the current Prime Minister of Denmark (in Danish Statsminister, meaning Minister of State). ... This is a list over the heads of government in Denmark, from the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in 1849 until present. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Prime Minister of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti Vabariigi Peaminister) is the head of government of the Republic of Estonia. ... Matti Taneli Vanhanen ( ) (born November 4, 1955, in Jyväskylä) is the current Prime Minister of Finland, as well as Chairman of the Centre Party. ... The Prime Minister (Finnish Pääministeri, Swedish: Statsminister) is the head of government in Finland. ... Nicolas Sarkozy at Paris, May 2005. ... This article is about the political and administrative structures of the French government. ... This article is about the Greek Prime Minister whose term began in 2004. ... Note on Greek names: There is no firm convention for the rendering of Greek personal names into English. ...   (pronounced []; born in Pápa, June 4, 1961) is the Prime Minister of Hungary. ... This is a list of Prime Ministers of Hungary: Prime Ministers of Hungary, 1848-1849 Count Lajos Batthyány: 17 March - 2 October 1848 Baron Ádám Récsey: 3 October - 26 November 1848 Lajos Kossuth: 26 November 1848 - 11 August 1849 Bertalan Szemere: 11 August - 13 August 1849 Prime Ministers of Hungary... Brian Cowen (Irish: Brian Ó Comhain, born 10 January 1960) is the 11th Taoiseach of Ireland. ... The Taoiseach (IPA: , phonetic: TEE-shock — plural: Taoisigh ( or ), also referred to as An Taoiseach [1], is the head of government or prime minister of the Republic of Ireland . ... In Italy, the President of the Council of Ministers (Italian: Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) is the countrys prime minister or head of government. ... Ivars Godmanis (born November 27, 1951) is a Latvian economist and politician, best known as the first prime minister of Latvia after the country restored its independence from the Soviet Union. ... The Prime Minister of Latvia is the most powerful member of the Latvian government, and presides over the Latvian cabinet. ... Gediminas Kirkilas ( (help· info), b. ... Jean-Claude Juncker Jean-Claude Juncker (born December 9, 1954) is the Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Luxembourg, and until July 1, 2005, was president of the European Council, a position he also previously held in 1997. ... The head of government in Luxembourg is known as the President of the Government. ... Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the Prime Minister and finance minister of Malta. ... The Prime Minister of Malta is the most powerful figure within the government of Malta, although the President of Malta has a higher rank. ... Jan Peter Balkenende (pronounced IPA:  ) (born May 7, 1956) has been the Prime Minister of the Netherlands since July 22, 2002. ... The prime minister of the Netherlands is the head of the cabinet, and, as such, coordinates the policy of the government. ... Donald Franciszek Tusk (IPA: [], born 22 April 1957, GdaÅ„sk) is a liberal Polish politician, co-founder and chairman of the Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska), and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland. ... The Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland represents the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet) and directs their work, supervises territorial self-government within the guidelines and in ways described in the Constitution and other legislation, and acts as the superior for all government administration workers (heading the public service... José Sócrates de Carvalho Pinto de Sousa, GCIH (pron. ... José Sócrates, the current Prime Minister of Portugal. ... Călin-Constantin-Anton Popescu-Tăriceanu () (born January 14, 1952) is a Romanian politician who has been the Prime Minister of Romania since December 28, 2004. ... Categories: Lists of office-holders | Romanian history | Romanian Prime Ministers ... Robert Fico (15 September 1964 in Topoľčany) is the current Prime Minister of Slovakia (since July 4, 2006). ... // Vavro Å robár (4 November 1918 – 14 November 1918) – ceased with the adoption of the Czechoslovak constitution Antonín JanouÅ¡ek (20 June 1919 – 7 July 1919) Ján Drobný (1 July 1928 - 1929) Jozef Országh (1929 - 1938) Julián Å imko (1938 - 1939) Jozef Tiso (7 October 1938 – 9...   (IPA: ) (born 4 August 1960), better known under his second surname Zapatero, is the Prime Minister of Spain. ... The President of the Government of Spain (realy in Spanish: Presidente del Gobierno), sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the Spanish head of government. ... John Fredrik Reinfeldt (IPA: ) (born 4 August 1965, in Österhaninge) is the current Prime Minister of Sweden and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party (Swedish: ). A native of Stockholm County, Reinfeldt joined the Moderate Youth League in 1983, and by 1992 had risen to the rank of chairman, a... The Prime Minister (Swedish: , literally Minister of State) is the head of government in Sweden. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ... José Manuel Durão Barroso, GCC (pronounced  ) (born in Porto, March 23, 1956) is a Portuguese politician and the 11th President of the European Commission, being the first Portuguese person to hold the post. ... François-Xavier Ortoli, Romano Prodi, José Manuel Barroso and Jacques Delors The President of the European Commission is notionally the highest ranking unelected official within the European Union bureaucracy. ... Group of Eight redirects here. ... The head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Stephen Joseph Harper (born April 30, 1959) is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Nicolas Sarkozy at Paris, May 2005. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ...   (IPA: ) (born Angela Dorothea Kasner, 17 July 1954, in Hamburg, Germany), is the Chancellor of Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Yasuo Fukuda , born July 16, 1936) is the 91st Prime Minister of Japan and the president of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev (Russian: ; Russian pronunciation: ; born 14 September 1965) is the current President of Russia, inaugurated on May 7, 2008. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... v • d • e Berlusconi I Cabinet (1994 – 1995) Berlusconi | Tatarella | Maroni | Comino | Guidi | Urbani | Berlinguer | Ferrara | Speroni | Martino | Biondi | Pagliarini | Tremonti | Dini | Previti | D'Onofrio | Radice | Poli Bertone | Fiori | Tatarella | Gnutti | Costa | Bernini | Mastella | Fisichella | Matteoli | Podestà  v • d • e Berlusconi II Cabinet (2001 – 2005) Berlusconi | Fini | Follini | La Loggia | Pisanu | Scajola | Frattini | Mazzella | Baccini | Stanca | Tremaglia | Prestigiacomo | Buttiglione | Bossi | Calderoli | Giovanardi | Ruggiero | Castelli | Tremonti | Siniscalco | Marzano | Moratti | Maroni | Martino | Alemanno | Lunardi | Sirchia | Urbani | Gasparri | Matteoli  v • d • e Berlusconi III Cabinet (2005 – 2006) Berlusconi | Fini | Tremonti | La Loggia | Caldoro | Baccini | Stanca | Tremaglia | Prestigiacomo | La Malfa | Calderoli | Giovanardi | Miccichè | Pisanu | Castelli | Siniscalco | Scajola | Moratti | Maroni | Martino | Alemanno | Matteoli | Lunardi | Storace | Buttiglione | Landolfi  v • d • e Berlusconi IV Cabinet (2008 – present) Berlusconi | Tremonti | Maroni | Alfano | Frattini | Sacconi | Gelmini | La Russa | Scajola | Zaia | Prestigiacomo | Matteoli | Bondi | Bossi | Ronchi | Vito | Brunetta | Calderoli | Fitto | Meloni | Carfagna | Rotondi  v • d • e President of Forza Italia Silvio Berlusconi