Rome - Silvio Berlusconi, the former Prime Minister of Italy who managed to make a political comeback despite facing corruption allegations, passed away at the age of 86, according to Italian media reports. He died at Milan's San Raffaele hospital. In April, Berlusconi received treatment for a lung infection related to a previously undisclosed case of chronic leukaemia.

Berlusconi, a flamboyant billionaire media tycoon, first took office in 1994 and served as Prime Minister for four governments until 2011. He led the centre-right Forza Italia party, which later formed a coalition under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after the September elections. Berlusconi was elected to Italy's Senate, the upper house of parliament.

The news of Berlusconi's death elicited reactions from various individuals, including Italy's Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, who expressed that his passing leaves a significant void. In a tweet, Crosetto stated that an era had come to an end and bid farewell to Berlusconi, whom he expressed great affection for.

Earlier this year, doctors at San Raffaele had revealed that Berlusconi was suffering from a rare form of blood cancer called chronic myelomonocyte leukaemia. The immediate cause of his death has yet to be officially confirmed. Since contracting Covid-19 in 2020, Berlusconi had experienced recurring health issues.

Born in Milan in 1936, Berlusconi initially started his career by selling vacuum cleaners before establishing a construction company. He went on to amass great wealth through his TV channels, becoming one of Italy's wealthiest individuals. Berlusconi gained international recognition as the owner of the renowned football club AC Milan, which he rescued from bankruptcy in 1986, before venturing into politics.