Top court set to review Berlusconi鈥檚 acquittal
Print Edition
Italy鈥檚 top court yesterday reviewed former premier Silvio Berlusconi鈥檚 acquittal on charges of paying for sex with an underage exotic dancer known as 鈥淩uby the heart stealer.鈥
In a hearing that could make or break the media tycoon鈥檚 hopes of a return to the frontline of politics, judges at the Court of Cassation will decide whether to uphold an appeal court鈥檚 decision to clear Berlusconi of the most serious charges he has faced in his scandal-stained career. The AC Milan owner was convicted in June 2013 of having paid-for sex with Ruby when she was 17, a year younger than the legal minimum for a prostitute in Italy.
He was also found to have abused his power to try and cover up what went on at his infamous 鈥渂unga bunga鈥 sex parties, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence and a ban from public office.
If his acquittal is upheld, Berlusconi will be free to spearhead opposition to landmark political reforms Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is trying to guide through parliament.
If the ruling goes against him, the fresh appeal trial will have to take place, an outcome analysts said will dent Berlusconi鈥檚 authority over his declining Forza Italia party and could be the final curtain in a political career which has seen him serve three terms as Italy鈥檚 premier.
鈥淔or Berlusconi鈥檚 immediate future, the outcome is quite crucial,鈥 said Giovanni Orsina, an academic at the LUISS business school in Rome.
Orsina said Berlusconi鈥檚 legal woes have helped Renzi dominate the political landscape.
鈥淏erlusconi鈥檚 clarity of mind basically disappeared (with the tax conviction),鈥 he said.
鈥淪ince then ... politically, he is in a coma but the moment he draws his final breath is not predictable. Further judicial problems could bring that moment,鈥 he said.
鈥淏ut if the case goes his way 鈥 and my feeling is that it is likely to 鈥 then he remains a very powerful man.鈥
Renzi relied on support from Berlusconi to steer landmark labor reforms through parliament late last year.
But the alliance collapsed last month after Renzi successfully backed an actively anti-Berlusconi candidate, Sergio Mattarella, to become Italy鈥檚 new president.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
