Former Italian PM Has Died

Silvio Berlusconi, the billionaire media tycoon and scandal-ridden former prime minister of Italy, has passed away. His press office confirmed his death on Monday, June 12, 2023.

He was 86 years old.

In April 2023, the politician was hospitalized in Milan and treated in the ICU after suffering breathing problems due to severe pneumonia caused by a form of leukemia. Silvio reportedly started chemotherapy in early April.

He was discharged on May 19 but was hospitalized again on Friday, June 9 — Silvio’s health dramatically deteriorated, and he died at 3:30 a.m. EST on June 12, 2023, due to complications from a severe form of leukemia.

According to the Milan Archdiocese, a state funeral will be held in the Milan Duomo on Wednesday, June 14.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to him in a video message titled: “To God, Silvio.” According to CNN, she said Silvio was “above all a fighter,” adding, “He was a man who was never afraid to stand up for his beliefs.”

“And it was exactly that courage and that determination that made him one of the most influential men in the history of Italy, that allowed him to make real breakthroughs in the world of politics, communication, and business,” she said.

Giorgia concluded, “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.”