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| Silvio Berlusconi insists he will stay in politics | Silvio Berlusconi insists he will stay in politics |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Silvio Berlusconi has vowed to stay at the centre of Italian politics despite his expected expulsion from parliament over a fraud conviction, and accused leftwing judges of plotting against him to pervert democracy. | |
| In a long-awaited television address shortly before a Senate committee is expected to take the first step in expelling him, the media magnate made no mention of his previous threats to bring down the left-right coalition government of Prime Minister Enrico Letta because of the conviction. | In a long-awaited television address shortly before a Senate committee is expected to take the first step in expelling him, the media magnate made no mention of his previous threats to bring down the left-right coalition government of Prime Minister Enrico Letta because of the conviction. |
| "I will always be with you, at your side, expelled from parliament or not. It is not the parliamentary seat that makes a leader," the 76-year-old billionaire said. He called for centre-right voters to rally behind the relaunched Forza Italia party, with which he first stormed into politics in 1994. | "I will always be with you, at your side, expelled from parliament or not. It is not the parliamentary seat that makes a leader," the 76-year-old billionaire said. He called for centre-right voters to rally behind the relaunched Forza Italia party, with which he first stormed into politics in 1994. |
| The supreme court last month confirmed a four-year jail term, commuted to one year, on Berlusconi for a giant fraud at his Mediaset television empire. He is expected to go into house arrest or do community service instead of going to jail. | The supreme court last month confirmed a four-year jail term, commuted to one year, on Berlusconi for a giant fraud at his Mediaset television empire. He is expected to go into house arrest or do community service instead of going to jail. |
| He seemed to be resigned to being ejected from parliament but said he would not give up his leadership of the centre right, calling for freedom-loving Italians to "wake up … rebel, become indignant, react and make yourself heard". | He seemed to be resigned to being ejected from parliament but said he would not give up his leadership of the centre right, calling for freedom-loving Italians to "wake up … rebel, become indignant, react and make yourself heard". |
| Berlusconi said he was "absolutely innocent" of tax fraud, and the judiciary had "transformed itself into a rival state power, capable of influencing the executive". | Berlusconi said he was "absolutely innocent" of tax fraud, and the judiciary had "transformed itself into a rival state power, capable of influencing the executive". |
| "They want to get rid of me by judicial means because they have been unable to do so with democracy," said Berlusconi, who was also ordered by the supreme court on Tuesday to pay almost half a million euros to a business rival over a disputed takeover battle. | "They want to get rid of me by judicial means because they have been unable to do so with democracy," said Berlusconi, who was also ordered by the supreme court on Tuesday to pay almost half a million euros to a business rival over a disputed takeover battle. |
| Berlusconi wants to seize the initiative despite his conviction by replacing his current People of Freedom (PDL) party with Forza Italia to revitalise centre-right voters and appeal to young people. | Berlusconi wants to seize the initiative despite his conviction by replacing his current People of Freedom (PDL) party with Forza Italia to revitalise centre-right voters and appeal to young people. |
| He promised "less state power, less public spending, less taxes. With the left in power it would be the opposite." | He promised "less state power, less public spending, less taxes. With the left in power it would be the opposite." |
| Berlusconi did not mention the government, but PDL secretary Angelino Alfano has said his leader would make a final decision on its survival only after the vote in the Senate, where Letta's Democratic party (PD) says it will support his expulsion. | Berlusconi did not mention the government, but PDL secretary Angelino Alfano has said his leader would make a final decision on its survival only after the vote in the Senate, where Letta's Democratic party (PD) says it will support his expulsion. |
| The Senate committee is expected on Wednesday night to reject a recommendation by a senior PDL member of the panel, Andrea Augello, to confirm Berlusconi as a senator. | The Senate committee is expected on Wednesday night to reject a recommendation by a senior PDL member of the panel, Andrea Augello, to confirm Berlusconi as a senator. |
| It will then elect a leftwing replacement for Augello – there is an anti-Berlusconi majority in the committee – who will draw up a recommendation to expel him. That should be voted on by early October after which the case goes to the full Senate for a final decision expected by mid-October. | It will then elect a leftwing replacement for Augello – there is an anti-Berlusconi majority in the committee – who will draw up a recommendation to expel him. That should be voted on by early October after which the case goes to the full Senate for a final decision expected by mid-October. |
| Political sources say Berlusconi appears to have listened for now to PDL doves, business allies and members of his family who believe a crisis would badly rebound on the centre-right and would also damage his media empire financially. | Political sources say Berlusconi appears to have listened for now to PDL doves, business allies and members of his family who believe a crisis would badly rebound on the centre-right and would also damage his media empire financially. |
| Italy is mired in its worst postwar recession and Berlusconi risks taking the blame for irresponsibly worsening the crisis if he provokes more instability over his legal problems. Opinion polls show a large majority of Italians against snap elections. | Italy is mired in its worst postwar recession and Berlusconi risks taking the blame for irresponsibly worsening the crisis if he provokes more instability over his legal problems. Opinion polls show a large majority of Italians against snap elections. |
| The depth of Letta's problems was underlined on Wednesday when a government source said the finance ministry was considering delaying the target of a balanced structural budget from 2013 to 2014. | The depth of Letta's problems was underlined on Wednesday when a government source said the finance ministry was considering delaying the target of a balanced structural budget from 2013 to 2014. |
| The eurozone's third largest economy is lagging behind many of its peers in climbing out of recession, partly because Letta's government is too divided to pass vital reforms. | The eurozone's third largest economy is lagging behind many of its peers in climbing out of recession, partly because Letta's government is too divided to pass vital reforms. |
| Any of the Senate votes could still trigger a political crisis although Berlusconi may be waiting until November, when he can paint it as a battle against moves by the centre-left to raise taxes as part of next year's budget discussions. | Any of the Senate votes could still trigger a political crisis although Berlusconi may be waiting until November, when he can paint it as a battle against moves by the centre-left to raise taxes as part of next year's budget discussions. |
| Berlusconi is also thought to be trying to find a way to blame the fractious PD, which is in turmoil in the runup to its party congress in the autumn, when charismatic Florence mayor Matteo Renzi is expected to be elected party leader. | Berlusconi is also thought to be trying to find a way to blame the fractious PD, which is in turmoil in the runup to its party congress in the autumn, when charismatic Florence mayor Matteo Renzi is expected to be elected party leader. |
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