In Pics | A timeline of highs and lows of Silvio Berlusconi's political career

Berlusconi entered Italy's political scene in the 1990s, after becoming a media mogul and real estate tycoon, where he was seen as a breath of fresh air. He pitched himself as the success story of modern Italy and received the complete support of his TV stations and newspapers.

He lasted only for nine months as Italy's prime minister. However, he bounced back in 2001, with another election win which he claimed based on a populist campaign that promised jobs and economic growth. He also signed a "Contract with Italians" live on television.

Berlusconi served as Italy's prime minister until 2006. He called himself "the Jesus Christ of politics" during the campaign but lost to Romano Prodi at the ballot box. The political leader was asked to undergo trial for alleged fraud, false accounting, embezzlement and tax fraud.

He came back to power between 2008 and 2011, which made him the country's longest-serving premier since the second world war.

Berlusconi was forced to resign from debt-laden Italy, the third largest economy of the eurozone, which was under intense pressure because of the financial crisis. The political timeline of Berlusconi, dubbed "Il Cavaliere" (The Knight), divided Italians over his policies which included the controversial decision of joining the US-led invasion of Iraq.
 

In a TV interview in October 2009, Patrizia D'Addario, who was a prostitute, claimed to have slept with Berlusconi. What followed by months of allegations of "bunga bunga" sex parties being hosted by Berlusconi. In December 2009, Berlusconi got hit in the face with Milan Cathedral's alabaster statuette during a political rally.

In February 2011, Berlusconi was ordered by a judge to go through trial on charges of paying underage alleged prostitute Karima "Ruby" El Mahroug for sex. The charge was denied by both Berlusconi and Ruby. He also faced an accusation of abuse of office after it was said that he had misused his power to release the girl from a police station where she was held for theft. On November 2011, Berlusconi stepped down as prime minister after losing his parliamentary majority.

Even after going through multiple court cases, Berlusconi claimed in 2021 although he has gone through 86 trials but he never spent a single day behind bars. In 2013, after receiving a definitive conviction for tax fraud, Berlusconi carried out community service in a care home which had admitted people suffering from Alzheimer's.

Berlusconi was suspected of having links with the mafia, which he strongly denied. On 27 November 2013, Berlusconi was expelled from the Italian Senate.