Silvio Berlusconi, Former Italian Prime Minister, Dies at 86: A Look at His Controversial Legacy

Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy, has passed away at the age of 86, as reported by Italian media on Monday. Although the cause of death is not immediately known, Berlusconi had been hospitalized last week for planned medical checks related to his chronic leukemia.




Berlusconi, a media mogul and sitting senator in the Italian parliament, served as Italy's Prime Minister multiple times, beginning in 1994. His flamboyant lifestyle and abrasive, populist style had a significant impact on popular culture, but also led to constant legal troubles that tarnished Italy's image internationally and deviated from political norms.




Originating as a crooner on cruise ships, Berlusconi ventured into construction, real estate, and eventually built a vast empire, encompassing television networks, newspapers, publishing houses, and even a prominent soccer team.




His entry into politics coincided with a period of bribery scandals that shook the political establishment in the early 1990s, offering Berlusconi an opportunity to fill the resulting void. With a compelling rags-to-riches narrative, he sold many Italians on the promise of prosperity and reduced taxes.




Berlusconi's political journey faced numerous legal obstacles throughout the 1990s, involving accusations of false testimony and connections with the Sicilian Mafia. However, lacking conflict-of-interest legislation, he not only retained control of his media empire while serving as Prime Minister but also gained influence over state-run broadcasting networks.




Critics and scholars, such as Maurizio Viroli from the University of Texas - Austin, perceived Berlusconi's consolidation of power as approaching tyranny, emphasizing the unprecedented concentration of authority in a democratic or liberal country.




Berlusconi formed personal alliances with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the late Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi. However, his flamboyant appearance, including his tanned complexion, hair transplants, and facelifts, often made him the subject of international ridicule.




Despite his controversial behavior, including off-color jokes and racist remarks, Berlusconi became the longest-serving Prime Minister in Italian history, governing intermittently between 1994 and 2011 for a total of approximately nine years.




Observers abroad struggled to comprehend the source of Berlusconi's popularity, which Viroli attributed to Italians' aversion to moral principles. When presented with a figure who advocated disregarding civic duties and violating laws, some embraced him.




While Berlusconi faced multiple corruption trials and scandalous allegations, such as involvement in orgies and paying for sex with a minor, his political career persisted. Only when the European debt crisis hit Italy in 2011, causing turmoil in financial markets, did he step down as Prime Minister for the last time.




In 2014, at the age of 77, Berlusconi was expelled from parliament following a conviction for tax evasion. However, he maintained his role as the leader of the Forza Italia party, served his commuted sentence assisting dementia patients for four hours a week, and continued to participate in European and Italian politics.




His party later formed a coalition government with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, but Berlusconi's remarks on Vladimir Putin and the conflict in Ukraine created challenges for the Italian government.