At the time of his death he was in a relationship with Marta Fascina, 33, who was elected to parliament last year for Berlusconi\u0027s party.
Former Premier Matteo Renzi recalled Berlusconi’s divisive legacy on Twitter. “Silvio Berlusconi made history in this country. Many loved him, many hated him. All must recognize that his impact on political life, but also economics, sports and television, has been without precedence.”
Only one led to a conviction that stuck — a tax fraud case stemming from a sale of movie rights in his business empire. The conviction was upheld in 2013 by Italy’s top criminal court, but he was spared prison because of his age, 76, and was ordered to do community service by assisting Alzheimer’s patients.
Berlusconi lost his standing as Italy’s richest man, although his sprawling media holdings and luxury real estate still left him a billionaire several times over. Angela Dravi, who worked as a seamstress for Berlusconi and joined a few dozen supporters gathered outside his villa, said she has a bathrobe that the ex-premier discarded and wears it to this day to be close to him. “I was always there for him. I have always been at the rallies, at the gatherings. I love him as a person,” she said.Article content
When the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement gained strength, Berlusconi branded it as a menace worse than Communism. From his cruise ship entertainer days, Berlusconi loved to compose and sing Neapolitan songs. Like millions of Italians, he had a passion for soccer, and often was in the stands at AC Milan.
Berlusconi was born in Milan on Sept. 29, 1936, the son of a middle-class banker. He earned a law degree, writing his thesis on advertising. He started a construction company at 25 and built apartment complexes for middle-class families on Milan’s outskirts, part of a postwar boom. Shuffling his Cabinet occasionally, he stayed in power for five years, setting a record for government longevity in Italy. It wasn’t easy.
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