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The controversial former Italian premier, Silvio Berlusconi, who led the government of his country four times, was confined in the cardiac unit of the San Raffaele hospital in Milan on Wednesday, April 5, after presenting respiratory problems, official sources reported. The media mogul turned politician has suffered repeated health problems in recent years.
Expectation in Italy for the state of health of the former prime minister and one of the leaders of the current government coalition, Silvio Berlusconi.
The former premier remains in an intensive care unit at the San Raffaele hospital, in Milan, after he presented respiratory problems this Wednesday, April 5.
The political leader had already been hospitalized last week for a respiratory infection.
“He is admitted to intensive care because a problem caused by an infection has not been resolved, but he speaks,” he said.he Italian Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, at a press conference, from Brussels.
Berlusconi has experienced various health problems in recent years. In 2020, he contracted Covid-19 and the consequences of that disease continue to affect his physical condition, indicate sources close to the politician.
The also media magnate continues to be active on the Italian political scene, although not with an official role in the Administration.
But his Forza Italia party is part of the current government coalition – the most right-wing in the country’s history since the Benito Mussolini era – under the leadership of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who published a message of support for Berlusconi in his twitter account.
A sincere and affectionate wish for prompt guidance to Silvio Berlusconi, who was awarded to San Raffaele di Milano. Force Silvio.
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) April 5, 2023
An active former premier
Berlusconi made a surprise return to Italian political life in September 2022, when he won a seat in the Senate. It was on those dates when he made official the alliance of his party with the movement of the current head of government.
In addition, the former premier has aroused controversy for his statements about the war in Ukraine.
In recent weeks, he has harshly criticized the president of the country attacked by Russia, Volodimir Zelenski, and has shown a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin on multiple occasions.
a controversial past
Silvio Berlusconi had four terms as Italian head of state, the last one was in 2011, when he resigned due to the economic crisis his country was facing, coupled with the controversy surrounding the so-called “bunga bunga” parties, which put world spotlight on the Italian.
The businessman was also accused by the Italian Justice of bribing multiple women who were participants in his well-known parties, so that they would not testify against him when he was accused of allegedly paying a minor under 17 years of age for sexual services.
However, Berlusconi is not only known for his political life and its controversies within it. In 2006, some managers of one of the biggest soccer clubs in Europe, Juventus, were sentenced for a scandal of alleged corruption in matches in the Italian league.
And within the hearings of the case, the name of Silvio Berlusconi was widely pronounced by those involved.
After having been the owner of another of the flagship Italian teams, AC Milan, the executives who testified mentioned that the former premier had participated in “illegal” bets while he owned the club, although he was never charged for these accusations.
With Reuters and AP
