Silvio Berlusconi, former Italian prime minister and mogul, dies

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Then Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi attends the Italy-France Summit in Rome, in 2011.

Foreign leaders – many of whom did not agree with Berlusconi’s politics – have expressed their condolences on Monday.

In a short tribute, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said she was “saddened by the news of the passing” of the former prime minister.

“He led Italy in a time of political transition and since then continued to shape his beloved country,” she said.

German government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner said at a regular news conference on Monday that his country was expressing “condolences to the Italian people and government,” following Berlusconi’s death.

Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia, has tweeted his “sincere condolences” to the people of Italy, writing that the former Italian PM leaves a “remarkable legacy.”

A longtime protagonist of [Italy] and [European Union] politics, he leaves a remarkable legacy. We will also remember him as a great supporter and friend of [Croatia]. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends,” Plenković wrote.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted his condolences, saying he was “deeply saddened” by his death.

“Silvio was a great friend of Israel and stood by us at all times. Rest in peace my friend,” he said.

Pope Francis has paid a tribute to Silvio Berlusconi in a telegram sent to the former Italian prime minister’s daughter Maria Elvira.

The telegram, sent by the Vatican on the pontiff’s behalf, said Francis wanted to “extend his closeness” to the family and assure them to of “his heartfelt participation in mourning the loss of a key figure in Italian political life.”

The pope described Berlusconi as someone who “held public responsibilities with an energetic temperament.”

Francis is currently at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, recovering from an abdominal surgery last Wednesday.

The flags of Italy and the European Union are lowered to half-staff at the Senate in Rome, following Berlusconi's death on Monday, June 12.

Flags are flying at half-staff at Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Italian Senate, and in other buildings housing offices of the Senate following the death of Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Berlusconi represented the northern municipality of Monza in the Italian Senate. His election into the upper chamber of the Italian Parliament last September, marked the last of his many returns to the top levels of Italian politics.

On Monday, Berlusconi’s remains were transported from the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, where he died, to his residence in Arcore, where his family will get the chance to “say their final goodbyes,” a family spokesperson told CNN.

On Tuesday, the coffin will travel back to Milan, home to the headquarters of Berlusconi’s media empire Mediaset.

A state funeral – customary for current and former prime ministers in Italy – will be held at the Milan’s Duomo at 3 p.m. (9 a.m. ET) on Wednesday, a spokesman for the diocese told CNN.

A national day of mourning has been declared by Alfredo Mantovano, an undersecretary at the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Silvio Berlusconi holds a press conference in Rome announcing his debut into politics in November 1993.

The death of Silvio Berlusconi, who was often called “Teflon Don” for his capacity to survive scandal, brings an end to an era of Italian politics.

It was an era marked more by gaffes than substance. From his entrance onto the Italian political scene in 1994, he defined the art of man before country, putting himself and his agenda ahead of the good of the people.

On countless occasions, Berlusconi changed legislation to lengthen statutes of limitations and rewrote criminal code to escape prosecution.

When he was accused of crimes, it only bolstered his base.

No other Italian politician has been voted into office as often as Berlusconi. Likewise, no other Italian politician has been under criminal investigation – or convicted – as often as he was.

He had been convicted of tax fraud and abetting an underage prostitute (a conviction later overturned on appeal), and banned from holding office. The episode led to years of mistrust of Italian politics by Italian people and tarnished Italy’s reputation abroad.

Berlusconi’s return to power, as part of Giorgia Meloni’s center-right coalition, was nothing short of a miracle.

Though he did not hold office, he held power and was seen as the one person in his Forza Italia party who supported the coalition with Meloni and Matteo Salvini. News of his death on Monday leaves a question over whether it will continue to support this government. 

Flower tributes are laid in front of Silvio Berlusconi's residence in Arcore, Italy, on Monday, June 12.

The news of Silvio Berlusconi’s death sparked a range of reaction across Italy, a testament to his complicated and divisive legacy.

Many loathed him for his populist policies and disregard for the law. But many others revered him as someone fighting for the interests of his country and people.

Responding to the news of Berlusconi’s death on Monday morning, several Rome residents told CNN they saw him as someone who was good for Italy.

Maurizio, a 60-year-old bread-seller at a market, told CNN: “Berlusconi was a man, a politician that actually fought for Italy. Until the end, even while he was dying.

“The politicians that are leading today are finally doing that again, I think Berlusconi helped make that happen. But let’s see how long that lasts,” he added.

But others were far less happy with Berlusconi’s legacy.

Waiting for his metro train to arrive, Giovanni Petruzzi, 46, said that while “it’s never nice to hear of a death,” he was hoping “the policies and corruption Berlusconi represent and that he kept alive also died with him.”

Then-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi smiles with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference at the Kremlin in Moscow, in 2003.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has paid tribute to former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as “an outstanding politician” and “a true patriot.”

In a message sent to Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella and published on the Kremlin website on Monday, the Russian president said Berlusconi “will be remembered in Russia as a consistent and principled supporter of strengthening friendly relations between our countries.”

“He made a truly invaluable personal contribution to the development of mutually beneficial Russian-Italian partnerships,” the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.

Putin’s message also touched on their personal relationship. “For me, Silvio was a dear person, a true friend. I have always sincerely admired his wisdom, his ability to make balanced, far-sighted decisions even in the most difficult situations,” he said, adding: “During each of our meetings, I was literally charged with his incredible vitality, optimism, and sense of humor. His death is an irreparable loss and great grief.”

Berlusconi sparked criticism last year, when an audio tape emerged of him boasting about having “re-established” his relationship with Putin, just months after the Russian leader ordered a full scale invasion of Ukraine.

Berlusconi tried to downplay his comments after they were published. “I don’t deny my past friendship with Vladimir Putin, that brought important results, which were achieved in full accord with our Western allies… But today the circumstances have changed,” he said.

Just a few months after that, Berlusconi was among a small handful of world leaders included on Putin’s Christmas greetings lists, along with the likes of Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and Hungary’s Viktor Orban.

Silvio Berlusconi speaks outside a courthouse in Milan after a legal hearing to face tax fraud charges related to his media businesses, in April 2011.

Silvio Berlusconi was the dominant figure in Italian politics for nearly two decades, a period which also saw him tried on at least 17 charges, involving allegations of embezzlement, tax fraud and bribery.

He always denied wrongdoing and many of the cases were overturned on appeal. Here is a timeline of the trials and tribulations of Berlusconi:

Silvio Berlusconi is welcomed by Tony Blair in London in October 2005. At the time they were both serving as prime minister of their respective countries.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair described Silvio Berlusconi as “a larger than life figure” on Monday, reminiscing about his time “working closely” with the former Italian Prime Minister when he was leader.

“I know he was controversial for many but for me he was a leader whom I found capable, shrewd and, most important, true to his word,” Blair said in a statement.

“He was an ally on many occasions in European Councils, fiercely protective of Italy’s interests but always looking for a practical solution to a tricky problem.”

Blair and Berlusconi were close allies during their terms as Prime Ministers. Most notably, Berlusconi remained a staunch supporter of Blair and US President George W. Bush at a time when other European leaders were critical of the Iraq war. Berlusconi also supported Blair in his ultimately unsuccessful bid to become the President of the European Council in 2009.

While Blair didn’t mention either of the two occasions in his statement, he highlighted Berlusconi’s support for the UK’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s former billionaire prime minister, leaves behind a sprawling business empire.

Berlusconi held large stakes in several companies through Fininvest, his family’s holding company. Fininvest held €4.9 billion ($5.3 billion) in shareholder equity at the end of 2021, according to its latest available annual report.  

Fininvest’s portfolio is dominated by media and communications companies. It is the biggest shareholder of MediaForEurope, a major European broadcaster. The company also holds a 53% stake in Italy’s biggest publisher, Mondadori, according to Reuters. 

Before politics, Berlusconi made a name for himself as the owner of soccer club AC Milan. Fininvest sold the club in 2017 for a reported €740 million, per Reuters. 

A state funeral for Silvio Berlusconi will be held Wednesday, according to the state-owned public broadcaster RAI, which cited the president of the senate as its source.

No immediate information was given regarding the venue.

Under Italian law, state funerals are granted to current and former presidents, prime ministers and the heads of the parliament and the constitutional court.

Italian state funerals feature military honors, with the coffin surrounded by six members of Italy’s military police, the Carabinieri. The location of the funeral is decided by the family, the website said.

Italy held a state funeral last year for European Parliament President David Sassoli, who died in January 2022 at the age of 65.

Giorgia Meloni, center, is pictured with Silvio Berlusconi and other members of Italy's right-wing coalition during a press conference in Rome, in October 2022.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Silvio Berlusconi was “above all a fighter,” following news Monday of the former prime minister’s death. 

In a video message, Meloni said:

“With him, Italy learned that it should never have limits imposed on it. He learned that he should never give up. With him we have fought, won, lost many battles. And for him too we will bring home the goals that we set ourselves together. Goodbye Silvio,” she said. 

The Brothers of Italy, the right-wing political party led by Meloni, tweeted a statement earlier on Monday saying: “We will remember him as one of the most important, decisive and appreciated figures in Italian political history.”

As prime minister, Berlusconi gave Meloni one of her first big breaks, naming her as his sports minister during his 2008 government.

However, the two clashed on a number of issues, including Ukraine. Whereas Berlusconi said he wanted to review sanctions against Russia because of their impact on the Italian economy, Meloni has been steadfast in her support for defending Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Silvio Berlusconi at Fiumicino airport in Rome, on July 5, 2019.

Berlusconi’s political career was marked by many controversies over the decades, but perhaps the most recent came last fall, when audio released by Italian news agency LaPresse revealed the 86-year-old speaking about his “re-established” relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin – months after Putin had ordered his troops to invade Ukraine.

Berlusconi said in the audio that Putin had sent him 20 bottles of vodka and a “very sweet letter” on his birthday in September. The former PM’s office confirmed to CNN that the clips were authentic. “I sent him bottles of Lambrusco (Italian sparkling wine) and an equally sweet letter,” Berlusconi said in the LaPresse audio clip.

He also said he had “re-established relations with President Putin” and boasted that the Russian leader called him “the first of his five true friends.”

A party spokesperson denied Berlusconi was in touch with Putin, saying the former prime minister had been telling parliamentarians “an old story referring to an episode many years ago.”

Putin and Berlusconi attend a press conference in Lesmo, Italy, in April 2010.

Berlusconi then defended his comments in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. “Everything was taken out of context. It was circulated without knowing the global meaning of my words. With the only scope to spread disinformation and lies,” he said.

“I don’t deny my past friendship with Vladimir Putin, that brought important results, which were achieved in full accord with our Western allies… But today the circumstances have changed,” he said.

Just a few months after that, Berlusconi was among a small handful of world leaders included on Putin’s Christmas greetings lists, along with the likes of Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and Hungary’s Viktor Orban.

Silvio Berlusconi is pictured speaking to the press in August 2019, in Rome, Italy.

Silvio Berlusconi, the flamboyant billionaire and former Italian prime minister who once described himself as the “Jesus Christ of politics,” has died at a Milan hospital at the age of 86, his press office confirmed on Monday.

Affectionately nicknamed “Il Cavaliere” (The Knight), his career was marked by a series of political, financial and personal scandals, many of which landed him in court. 

He was tried on charges ranging from tax evasion and bribery to corruption and having sex with an underage prostitute. But only one case stuck – a 2012 conviction for tax evasion in a deal involving television rights. 

Read the full obituary here.

Silvio Berlusconi speaks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a European Council summit in Brussels, Belgium, in 2011.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has tweeted “Gone is the great fighter” about Silvio Berlusconi, accompanied by a photo of the two men shaking hands.

An inscription on the photo, in Italian, says: “Rest in peace, my friend!”

Orban and Berlusconi, both strongman right-wing populist politicians, met personally on a number of occasions and described each other as friends.

Former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described Silvio Berlusconi as a man who “polarized debate” like no other, in a tribute posted on Facebook on Monday.

In the note, Conte, the leader of populist Italian political party the Five Star Movement, described the late prime minister as an entrepreneur and politician who “wrote significant pages of our history.”

Conte said he wanted to convey his and the Five Star Movement’s condolences to Berlusconi’s family and loved ones. 

Silvio Berlusconi is pictured leaving a news conference in Paris in 1985.

Berlusconi can arguably be called the godfather of modern populism, having launched his Forza Italia party in 1994.

He began his career as a cruise ship singer before making a fortune in real estate and starting a media empire that grew into the Mediaset conglomerate, a global player in the media business.

An image from Berlusconi's book "Una storia italiana" shows him during his early singing career. Berlusconi sent copies of the book to Italian voters ahead of the 2001 election.

Berlusconi swims at a Tunisian beach in 1984. In 1980, he launched Canale 5, Italy's first national commercial television network. Italia 1 followed in 1982, and Rete 4 in 1984. 

See his life in pictures here.

Silvio Berlusconi greets Matteo Renzi during a legislative session at the Senate in Rome, Italy, in October 2022.

Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has paid tribute to Silvio Berlusconi, calling him a man who “made history” in Italy. Writing on Facebook, Renzi said:

“Today Italy mourns together with his family, his loved ones, his companies, his party,” Renzi who was Italian Prime Minister from 2014 to 2016, added.

Italian Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida has called Berlusconi a “man who made history.”

“He prevented the left from taking power by resisting attacks of all kinds for years,” Lollobrigida wrote on Twitter, adding:

The Italian entrepreneur Silvio Berlusconi on his private jet flying from Rome to Milan after a day's work on March 1, 1987.

Before entering politics, Berlusconi made his name in Italy as a business tycoon and media mogul, at one point becoming the richest man in Italy. 

Berlusconi enjoyed his first real success in property development in the late 1960s when he was involved in a project to build Milano Two – nearly 4,000 flats – outside Milan. 

After amassing a fortune from his property portfolio in the 1970s, he diversified his interests by setting up a TV cable company, Telemilano, and buying two other cable channels in an effort to break the national TV monopoly in Italy.

In 1978, these channels were incorporated into his newly formed Fininvest group, which included department stores, insurance companies and even AC Milan – one of the world’s biggest football clubs, which he owned for 31 years.  

Berlusconi turned his attention to politics in 1993 when he formed the center-right Forza Italia Party, named for “Forza, Italia!” (Go, Italy!), a chant heard at Italian national soccer team games.  

As of this year, Berlusconi was worth $7.56 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.