Changes

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]]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 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 accounting 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-constitutional 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.

Has been definitively convicted for tax fraud by the Italian supreme court on 1 August 2013, being handed a four year jail term. Due to age limits and a previous amnesty, he will likely spend only one year either at home arrest or in probation with the social service.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/world/europe/ruling-on-berlusconi-case-by-italys-top-court-is-expected.html?hp&_r=0</ref>

Has been definitively convicted for tax fraud by the Italian supreme court on 1 August 2013, being handed a four-year jail term. Due to age limits and a previous amnesty, he will likely spend only one year either at home arrest or in probation with the social service.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/02/world/europe/ruling-on-berlusconi-case-by-italys-top-court-is-expected.html?hp&_r=0</ref>

==Notes==

==Notes==