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[[Image:Logo-pdl-berlusconi.jpg|right|260px]]

[[Image:Logo-pdl-berlusconi.jpg|right|260px]]

'''Silvio Berlusconi''' (born [[Milan]], 29 September 1936) is an [[Italian]] businessman and [[conservative]] politician, although he could be considered more a populist than a conservative (he does favour lowering taxes but not cutting in spending public money, nor does he have a conservative agenda concerning ethical issues). He is the leader of the [[Forza Italia]] party which he founded in 1993, and was prime minister of Italy between 1993 and 1994 and again between 2001 and 2006.  He is the current [[prime minister]] having 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>.

'''Silvio Berlusconi''' (born [[Milan]], 29 September 1936) is an[[Italian]] businessman and [[conservative]] politician. He is the leader of the [[Forza Italia]] party which he founded in 1993, and was prime minister of Italy between 1993 and 1994 and again between 2001 and 2006.  He is the current [[prime minister]] having 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>.

His wealth derives from his ownership of the media conglomerate Finninvest, which owns several major television channels and newspapers, but he started as a housing developer. There are some concerns about the real provenience of the money with which he started his business back in the 70's.  He is also  the owner of the football team [[AC Milan]].

His wealth derives from his ownership of the media conglomerate Mediaset (formerly Fininvest), which owns several major television channels and newspapers, but he started as a housing developer. He is also  the owner of the [[soccer]] team [[AC Milan]].

He has been the subject of judicial investigations into alleged [[corruption]], [[fraud]] and accounting irregularities by, what he and others claim is, a group of politicized judges or "toghe rosse" (red robes). Acquitted in some cases, convicted in others (though these convictions have since been overturned at appeal), further trials have never sentencing - partly because the statute of limitations had expired before the case could reach its conclusion, which Berlusconi's detractors claim to be due to delaying tactics on his part<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3034600.stm</ref>.

He has been the subject of judicial investigations into alleged [[corruption]], [[fraud]] and accounting irregularities by, what he and others claim is, a group of politicized judges or "toghe rosse" (red robes, that is, leftists). He has never been found guilty of any charges. [[Italy]] is one of the few [[Europe|European]] countries, where the head of government has no [[immunity]].

 

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''.  

[[Category:Political People]]

[[Category:Political People]]

[[Category:Italy]]

[[Category:Italy]]