Former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi Dies At 86

Silvio Berlusconi, the boastful billionaire media mogul who was Italy's longest-serving premier despite scandals over his sex-fueled parties and allegations of corruption, died Monday, according to Italian media. He was 86.

Berlusconi's Mediaset television network announced his death with a smiling photo of the man on its homepage and the headline: "Berlusconi is dead."

Berlusconi was hospitalised on Friday for the second time in months for treatment of chronic leukemia. He also suffered over the years from heart ailments, prostate cancer and was hospitalised for COVID-19 in 2020.

He entered politics in the 1990s and formed the Forza Italia party, which later became part of the center-right coalition.

Berlusconi served as Prime Minister for a total of four terms between 1994 and 2011. His political career has been marked by controversy and legal issues, including allegations of corruption and tax fraud.