Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Milan’s San Raffaele hospital due to a problem related to a previous infection. The 86-year-old is said to be stable and talking. The hospital has not commented on whether he has Covid or what his medical problem is.
Berlusconi has had a pacemaker for years and recovered from Covid-19 last year. He has been to the San Raffaele hospital several days before being hospitalized for a regular check-up, where his personal physician works. Berlusconi has faced a series of health problems in recent years, including a heart operation, prostate cancer, and a urinary tract infection.
Berlusconi made a political comeback last year after winning a Senate seat in Italy’s general elections, a decade after being banned from holding public office over a tax-fraud conviction. He remains at the helm of Forza Italia, the center-right party that is now a junior member of a hard-right government led by Premier Giorgia Meloni, although day-to-day operations are left to underlings.
Italian Authorities Criticized Over Bear Attack on Hiker
Italian authorities are facing criticism after a bear attacked and killed a 59-year-old hiker in the northern Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige. The man’s body was discovered with deep wounds to his neck, arms, and chest, and an autopsy confirmed he had been attacked by a bear. DNA analyses confirmed that the bear, identified as a 17-year-old female with a GPS radio collar, was responsible for the attack.
Local authorities have requested the animal’s euthanasia, but a court had overturned a similar request in 2020. Animal welfare groups have criticized authorities for not taking enough precautions to protect hikers in areas where female bears were raising cubs.
Italy has seen an increase in bear-human interactions since the animals were reintroduced between 1996 and 2004. Experts have stressed that the presence of bears in the region is an important ecological indicator; however, conservationists and locals have long been at odds over how to manage the increasing number of bears in the area.
The Fading Health of Silvio Berlusconi Raises Political Questions in Italy
The hospitalization of Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian Prime Minister, has once again raised questions about the political future of the divisive figure. Berlusconi, who is 86 years old, has had a string of health issues in recent years, including heart surgery, prostate cancer, and a urinary tract infection.
Berlusconi’s latest hospitalization comes at a time when Italy is experiencing political turbulence, with the hard-right government led by Premier Giorgia Meloni increasingly at odds with Berlusconi’s center-right Forza Italia party, which is a junior member. Berlusconi made a political comeback last year after winning a Senate seat, a decade after being banned from holding public office over a tax-fraud conviction.
The current conflict in Ukraine and Berlusconi’s pro-Russian stance have also put him at odds with the government. Although Berlusconi remains at the helm of Forza Italia, the day-to-day operations of the party are now carried out by others.
Berlusconi’s hospitalization has once again raised questions about his political future, particularly in light of his advanced age and health issues. With Italy facing an uncertain political landscape and increasing tensions between the government and Forza Italia, it remains unclear what role Berlusconi will play in the future of Italian politics.
