A Man with Money, Influence, and Headlines: The Legacy of Silvio Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi, who died at the age of 86, had a profound impact on Italian politics, holding the position of prime minister longer than anyone else in the country’s history. The media mogul made headlines internationally for decades, leaving behind a lasting legacy.

From Construction to Media Mogul

Berlusconi rose to fame and fortune as a TV entrepreneur, but he initially made his millions as a construction tycoon. In an interview from the time of his political ascent, Berlusconi stated that he always knew he wanted to be his boss, saying, “I wanted to become an entrepreneur – and during that time, there was a construction boom.”

Wealth and Influence

In the late 1960s, Berlusconi built a residential area in northern Milan and created a neighborhood TV station to promote the purchase of the properties. This venture proved to be the catalyst for his entry into Italy’s new private TV market, which he quickly dominated. Berlusconi became one of the wealthiest men in the country, owning not only TV stations and newspapers but also banks, supermarkets, insurance companies, and the football club AC Milan, which he led to become Europe’s most successful club for several years.

Political Ascent

In 1993, Berlusconi entered politics, forming the Forza Italia party and running for prime minister. He used his media empire for political advertising, taking a page from US-style political parties, including even a self-composed party anthem. Berlusconi won the 1994 election against a centre-left coalition that had led the polls for several months, becoming prime minister for the first time.

Former US President Bill Clinton and Silvio Berlusconi shortly after his election as Italian Prime Minister in June 1994.

Long Tenure with Controversy

During his tenure, Berlusconi destabilized the extreme right in the country, making the Lega Nord and the former neo-fascists of MSI part of his election coalition. He later brought both parties into the government after winning the election. In 2008, today’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni served as his Youth Minister.

Berlusconi held the prime minister’s office four times and, in total, almost ten years – longer than anyone since the end of World War II in Italy. During his tenure, Berlusconi made headlines several times, such as when he suggested that Martin Schulz, a social democrat, should play the role of a concentration camp guard in a film in the European Parliament.

Legal Troubles and Controversial Parties

Berlusconi faced legal battles throughout his career and still claimed that political motivations were behind the prosecutions against him. In almost all of his trials, Berlusconi emerged victorious due to excellent legal representation, tailor-made laws, and frequently because of a lack of conclusive evidence. The infamous Bunga-Bunga parties, erotic encounters, also gained international attention.

In more than thirty trials, Berlusconi was found guilty once of tax fraud in 2013. The former most powerful man of the country was sentenced to social services at a nursing home as punishment.

Silvio Berlusconi was born on September 29, 1936, in Milan as the eldest son of a bank employee and a housewife. He studied law and initially worked as an entertainer on cruise ships. His rise began in the 1960s in the construction industry. In the 1970s and 1980s, he discovered the television market for himself. He founded his own TV channels, which he later used as a stepping stone into politics.