Will Berlusconi remain immune?
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Presidenza della Repubblica
Italy’s top court has started reviewing the law which shields prime minister Silvio Berlusconi against prosecution. If the court’s 15 judges declare it unconstitutional, a number of court cases, including one where Mr Berlusconi was accused of corruption, could become active.
The law grants immunity not only to the prime minister but also to the president and the speakers of the two houses of parliament while they are in office.
The immunity law was passed shortly after Berlusconi returned to power last year. At that time he was facing a number of cases, including one in which he is suspected of having paid € 440,000 to his former British lawyer David Mills in return for giving a false testimony. In February Mr Mills, who said he was innocent, was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for excepting the bribe.
After the Mills' trial, centre-left opposition parties said that the leader of any "normal country" would resign after such a verdict.
Prime Miniser Berlusconi vowed that he will remain in power until 2013 and he will not be intimidated. He said the centre-right will continue to govern despite "an attempt to overturn the democratic choice of the Italian people".
Although it is not exactly clear when the court will rule, Italian media expect a verdict on Thursday.
Rome correspondent Duncan Kennedy reports on the court's reviewing of the controversial law that protects Italian Prime Minister Berulsconi:
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