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He is the leader of the [[People of Freedom]] party, the merger of the [[Forza Italia]] party which he founded in 1993 and of Gianfranco Fini's post-fascist [[National Alliance]] party.

He is the leader of the [[People of Freedom]] party, the merger of the [[Forza Italia]] party which he founded in 1993 and of Gianfranco Fini's post-fascist [[National Alliance]] party.

He was [[prime minister]] of Italy between 1993 and 1994 and again between 2001 and 2006. He has been reelected by a substantial majority in April of 2008 after the fall of the centre-left coalition government led by [[Romano Prodi]], which lasted a mere 20 months<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article3744594.ece</ref>. On 8 November 2011 Berlusconi announced his resignation.

He was [[prime minister]] of Italy between 1993 and 1994 and again between 2001 and 2006. He has been reelected by a substantial majority in April 2008 after the fall of the centre-left coalition government led by [[Romano Prodi]], which lasted a mere 20 months.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article3744594.ece</ref> On 8 November 2011 Berlusconi announced his resignation.

He is a great friend of [[George W. Bush|President Bush]] and he lauded the US President in the special issue of [[Time]] magazine, ''100: The World's Most Influential People''. Nevertheless, he greatly welcomed [[Barack Obama]] saying that he is "young, handsome and tanned" and since then, he has showed a great friendship with the black President. Berlusconi has also declared his friendship with leaders such as [[Gaddafi]] (even kissing his hand) and Putin.

He is a great friend of [[George W. Bush|President Bush]] and he lauded the US President in the special issue of [[Time]] magazine, ''100: The World's Most Influential People''. Nevertheless, he greatly welcomed [[Barack Obama]] saying that he is "young, handsome and tanned" and since then, he has showed a great friendship with the black President. Berlusconi has also declared his friendship with leaders such as [[Gaddafi]] (even kissing his hand) and Putin.

==Controversies==

==Controversies==

The source of his original wealth is currently disputed: in particular, Berlusconi received several large loans from the Rasini Bank, which was later discovered to be a coverup for the money laundering activity of the mafia,<ref>Marco Travaglio, ''L'odore dei soldi'', ''The smell of money''. A book from the independent journalist Marco Travaglio, later indicted by Berlusconi for slander, and subsequently acquitted.</ref> being also linked with the masonic lodge P2 (Berlusconi was also a member of the P2, card n. 1816)<ref>The picture of Berlusconi's P2 admission paper can be easily found on the web: [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hHn2RHGuQvU/SHOh2CQDehI/AAAAAAAAAPA/JdZSlDYdo3s/s400/berlusconi_tessera_p2.gif]</ref>. Berlusconi has always defended himself saying that money came from his father Luigi, also an employee of the Rasini Bank.<ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/online/politica/sati/integrale/integrale.html</ref>

The source of his original wealth is currently disputed: in particular, Berlusconi received several large loans from the Rasini Bank, which was later discovered to be a coverup for the money laundering activity of the mafia,<ref>Marco Travaglio, ''L'odore dei soldi'', ''The smell of money''. A book from the independent journalist Marco Travaglio, later indicted by Berlusconi for slander, and subsequently acquitted.</ref> being also linked with the masonic lodge P2 (Berlusconi was also a member of the P2, card n. 1816).<ref>The picture of Berlusconi's P2 admission paper can be easily found on the web: [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_hHn2RHGuQvU/SHOh2CQDehI/AAAAAAAAAPA/JdZSlDYdo3s/s400/berlusconi_tessera_p2.gif]</ref> Berlusconi has always defended himself saying that money came from his father Luigi, also an employee of the Rasini Bank.<ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/online/politica/sati/integrale/integrale.html]</ref>

Berlusconi has been accused of having contacts with the mafia: it has been established that he took a mafioso boss, Vittorio Mangano, as his alleged "stableman"<ref>[http://www.corriere.it/cronache/09_settembre_25/mangano_berlusconi_gatto_3a66f02c-a9bd-11de-93d1-00144f02aabc.shtml Il Corriere della Sera]</ref>. Mangano was arrested and sentenced several times while working for Berlusconi and his right-hand, Marcello Dell'Utri, who has been sentenced in Appeal for mafia.<ref>[http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cmssezioni/politica/201006articoli/56285girata.asp La Stampa: Mafia, Dell'Utri sentenced to 7 years]</ref> Asked about Mangano, both Berlusconi and Dell'Utri answered saying that he was "a hero".<ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/2008/04/sezioni/politica/verso-elezioni-18/berlusconi-toghe/berlusconi-toghe.html La Repubblica</ref>

Berlusconi has been accused of having contacts with the mafia: it has been established that he took a mafioso boss, Vittorio Mangano, as his alleged "stableman".<ref>[http://www.corriere.it/cronache/09_settembre_25/mangano_berlusconi_gatto_3a66f02c-a9bd-11de-93d1-00144f02aabc.shtml Il Corriere della Sera]</ref> Mangano was arrested and sentenced several times while working for Berlusconi and his right-hand, Marcello Dell'Utri, who has been sentenced in Appeal for mafia.<ref>[http://www.lastampa.it/redazione/cmssezioni/politica/201006articoli/56285girata.asp La Stampa: Mafia, Dell'Utri sentenced to 7 years]</ref> Asked about Mangano, both Berlusconi and Dell'Utri answered saying that he was "a hero".<ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/2008/04/sezioni/politica/verso-elezioni-18/berlusconi-toghe/berlusconi-toghe.html La Repubblica]</ref>

Berlusconi has been the subject of judicial investigations into alleged [[corruption]], judicial corruption, [[fraud]], underage prostitution and accounting irregularities by, what he and others claim is, a group of politicized left-wing judges or "toghe rosse" (red robes).<ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2011/05/27/news/i_processi_di_b_-16841936/]</ref> The facts of which Berlusconi has been accused have been all proved,<ref>[http://www.beppegrillo.it/2011/05/berlusconi_ergastolo_alla_carriera/index.html An editorial by Marco Travaglio, hosted on the blog of the Italian popular blogger Beppe Grillo</ref>, but Berlusconi has never been sentenced thanks to amnesties, self-depenalizations of illicit accouting while he was at power<ref>[http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronache/2005/09_Settembre/26/alliberian.shtml</ref>, shortening of the statute of limitations. In may 2009, David Mills, Berlusconi's Lawyer, was convicted of perjury in order to promote Berlusconi's impunity<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6322775.ece</ref>. Berlusconi has been fully acquitted for "not having committed the fact" (full acquittal) only in one case. [[Italy]] is one of the few [[Europe|European]] countries, where the head of government has no [[immunity]]. In spite of this, Berlusconi has tried to promulgate several laws establishing his immunity (called "''ad personam''" laws in Italy), but almost all of them were found to be un-costitutional by the Italian Constitutional Court and therefore canceled. Berlusconi has accused Constitutional judges of being "[[communist]]", and has also said that the Italian Constitution - which has been written mostly by [[moderate]] [[Christian Democrat]]s - is also "[[sovietic]]".<ref>[http://www.corriere.it/politica/09_ottobre_07/lodo_alfano_corte_costituzionale_d1f066b8-b308-11de-b362-00144f02aabc.shtml]</ref><ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/2009/02/sezioni/cronaca/eluana-englaro-2/eluana-chigi-quirinale/eluana-chigi-quirinale.html]</ref>

Berlusconi has been the subject of judicial investigations into alleged [[corruption]], judicial corruption, [[fraud]], underage prostitution and accounting irregularities by, what he and others claim is, a group of politicized left-wing judges or "toghe rosse" (red robes).<ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/politica/2011/05/27/news/i_processi_di_b_-16841936/]</ref> The facts of which Berlusconi has been accused have been all proved,<ref>[http://www.beppegrillo.it/2011/05/berlusconi_ergastolo_alla_carriera/index.html An editorial by Marco Travaglio, hosted on the blog of the Italian popular blogger Beppe Grillo]</ref> but Berlusconi has never been sentenced thanks to amnesties, self-depenalizations of illicit accouting while he was at power,<ref>[http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Cronache/2005/09_Settembre/26/alliberian.shtml]</ref> shortening of the statute of limitations. In may 2009, David Mills, Berlusconi's Lawyer, was convicted of perjury in order to promote Berlusconi's impunity.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6322775.ece</ref> Berlusconi has been fully acquitted for "not having committed the fact" (full acquittal) only in one case. [[Italy]] is one of the few [[Europe]]an countries, where the head of government has no [[immunity]]. In spite of this, Berlusconi has tried to promulgate several laws establishing his immunity (called "''ad personam''" laws in Italy), but almost all of them were found to be un-costitutional by the Italian Constitutional Court and therefore canceled. Berlusconi has accused Constitutional judges of being "[[communist]]", and has also said that the Italian Constitution - which has been written mostly by [[moderate]] [[Christian Democrat]]s - is also "[[sovietic]]".<ref>[http://www.corriere.it/politica/09_ottobre_07/lodo_alfano_corte_costituzionale_d1f066b8-b308-11de-b362-00144f02aabc.shtml]</ref><ref>[http://www.repubblica.it/2009/02/sezioni/cronaca/eluana-englaro-2/eluana-chigi-quirinale/eluana-chigi-quirinale.html]</ref>

Berlusconi says to be a conservative and the "defender of the traditional family". It is to be noted, though, that Berlusconi has admitted having sex with many very young prostitutes (Berlusconi is currently 74 years old) such as Karima "Ruby" el-Mahroug in a perverted sexual rite called "''bunga-bunga''"; he is a known and self-admitted "user" of prostitutes who he lets inside his villas and has divorced from the wife Veronica Lario.

Berlusconi says to be a conservative and the "defender of the traditional family". It is to be noted, though, that Berlusconi has admitted having sex with many very young prostitutes (Berlusconi is currently 74 years old) such as Karima "Ruby" el-Mahroug in a perverted sexual rite called "''bunga-bunga''"; he is a known and self-admitted "user" of prostitutes who he lets inside his villas and has divorced from the wife Veronica Lario.