Silvio Berlusconi is dead, according to the Italian news agency Ansa.
The former Italian prime minister and media mogul turned 86 years old.
– No one has characterized the post-war political scene in Italy like Silvio Berlusconi, says TV4’s foreign reporter Filip Jacobson directly from Italy.
According to Corriere he died at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, where the family rushed on Monday morning.
In recent years, Berlusconi has suffered from failing health. Last April, it became clear that he had suffered from chronic leukemia, something for which he had been treated throughout the spring.
Prior to that, he underwent heart surgery in 2016 and during the pandemic he suffered bilateral pneumonia after testing positive for covid-19.
– Several party leaders, former ministers in various Berlusconi governments have regretted the announcement, which was somehow expected given the history that has been in the spring with recurring, long hospital visits, says TV4’s foreign reporter Filip Jacobson.
Prime Minister four terms
Silvio Berlusconi founded the conservative party Forza Italia and was prime minister in four different governments for several periods between 1994 and 2011.
– No one has characterized the post-war political scene in Italy like Silvio Berlusconi, says Filip Jacobson directly from Italy.
He was a contentious and controversial politician, with a major impact on Italian politics.
Berlusconi also owned the Italian media conglomerate Fininvest, which is behind the nationwide television channels Rete 4, Canale 5 and Italia 1.
For a period he was also the owner of the football club AC Milan.
The text is being updated…