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| Silvio Berlusconi: Italy's supreme court prepares for verdict on final appeal | Silvio Berlusconi: Italy's supreme court prepares for verdict on final appeal |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Italy's supreme court is due to consider Silvio Berlusconi's final appeal against a tax fraud conviction which, if upheld, could see him barred from public office for five years and play havoc within the fragile coalition government. | Italy's supreme court is due to consider Silvio Berlusconi's final appeal against a tax fraud conviction which, if upheld, could see him barred from public office for five years and play havoc within the fragile coalition government. |
| In the most important legal verdict the former prime minister has pending, the court of cassation is scheduled to decide on Tuesday whether or not to confirm the convictions of two lower courts which have already found Berlusconi guilty of the charges – first in October last year and then again in May. | In the most important legal verdict the former prime minister has pending, the court of cassation is scheduled to decide on Tuesday whether or not to confirm the convictions of two lower courts which have already found Berlusconi guilty of the charges – first in October last year and then again in May. |
| If the judges agree with those verdicts, they are likely to enforce the requested sentence of four years in prison and a five-year ban on holding public office. The former is unlikely to cause the 76-year-old to lose much sleep as prisoners of his age rarely go to jail in Italy and, due to a 2006 amnesty law, he would be more likely to spend a year under some form of house arrest. But the latter could effectively end the political career of a man who, for better or worse, still plays a highly influential role in his country's affairs. | If the judges agree with those verdicts, they are likely to enforce the requested sentence of four years in prison and a five-year ban on holding public office. The former is unlikely to cause the 76-year-old to lose much sleep as prisoners of his age rarely go to jail in Italy and, due to a 2006 amnesty law, he would be more likely to spend a year under some form of house arrest. But the latter could effectively end the political career of a man who, for better or worse, still plays a highly influential role in his country's affairs. |
| As head of the centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party, the main partner in centre-left prime minister Enrico Letta's government, Berlusconi is still capable of bringing down the coalition by withdrawing his support, should the moment suit him. | As head of the centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party, the main partner in centre-left prime minister Enrico Letta's government, Berlusconi is still capable of bringing down the coalition by withdrawing his support, should the moment suit him. |
| However, as the date of the cassation hearing has approached, speculation has mounted that the decision could be postponed. | However, as the date of the cassation hearing has approached, speculation has mounted that the decision could be postponed. |
| In an interview with the rightwing Libero newspaper on Sunday, which was subsequently dismissed by Berlusconi's entourage as an informal conversation, the billionaire media tycoon said he was optimistic the judges would acquit him. But if they did not, he added, with trademark bombast, he would dare them to put him behind bars. | In an interview with the rightwing Libero newspaper on Sunday, which was subsequently dismissed by Berlusconi's entourage as an informal conversation, the billionaire media tycoon said he was optimistic the judges would acquit him. But if they did not, he added, with trademark bombast, he would dare them to put him behind bars. |
| "I will not go into exile like Bettino Craxi was forced to," he was quoted as saying, referring to Italy's disgraced former prime minister – and friend of Berlusconi – who fled to Tunisia and died in exile. "I will also not accept being handed over to social services, like a criminal that has to be re-educated," he said. "If they convict me, if they take on that responsibility, I'll go to jail." | "I will not go into exile like Bettino Craxi was forced to," he was quoted as saying, referring to Italy's disgraced former prime minister – and friend of Berlusconi – who fled to Tunisia and died in exile. "I will also not accept being handed over to social services, like a criminal that has to be re-educated," he said. "If they convict me, if they take on that responsibility, I'll go to jail." |
| Berlusconi has always denied the tax fraud charges, which date back more than a decade and are in connection with the purchase of broadcasting rights by his television empire, Mediaset. | Berlusconi has always denied the tax fraud charges, which date back more than a decade and are in connection with the purchase of broadcasting rights by his television empire, Mediaset. |
| He claims he is the victim of a persecution by a leftwing cabal of magistrates and blames them for his other legal travails, including the so-called Rubygate trial, in which he was found guilty last month of paying for sex with an underage prostitute and abusing his office to cover it up. He denies the charges and is appealing against the ruling. | He claims he is the victim of a persecution by a leftwing cabal of magistrates and blames them for his other legal travails, including the so-called Rubygate trial, in which he was found guilty last month of paying for sex with an underage prostitute and abusing his office to cover it up. He denies the charges and is appealing against the ruling. |
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