Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was back in hospital on Sunday for “routine” checkups, a spokesperson said, the day after the billionaire withdrew from the race for the presidency of Italy.

His doctor Alberto Zangrillo, from the San Raffaele hospital in Milan (north), confirmed that the 85-year-old politician had been admitted for “periodic clinical examinations” planned for some time.

One of Silvio Berlusconi's political allies, Matteo Salvini, of the League (extreme right), said he had a long telephone conversation with the former Prime Minister, who was "calm and healthy".

Silvio Berlusconi campaigned vigorously behind the scenes for the presidential election, which begins Monday in parliament, but withdrew on Saturday evening.

His candidacy has always had little chance of succeeding, in particular because of the legal troubles resulting from his "bunga bunga" evenings, orgies he organized in a villa with prostitutes.

He said he was stepping down in a spirit of "national responsibility", saying Italy "needed unity" as it battles an outbreak of Covid-19.

But Italian media say his family are worried about his health.

Already hospitalized for eleven days in 2020

Silvio Berlusconi, who served as prime minister (with the centre-right Forza Italia party) three times between 1994 and 2011, underwent open-heart surgery in 2016 and has been in hospital several times in recent months.

In September 2020, after being hospitalized for eleven days for pneumonia due to Covid-19, he said he narrowly escaped death.

Observers doubted that he has enough votes to become president among the thousand deputies, senators and regional elected officials who must appoint the new head of state who will succeed Sergio Mattarella.

The favorite is the former head of the European Central Bank and current Prime Minister Mario Draghi, at the head of a government of national unity.

But the outcome of the ballot, which is held by secret ballot, is deemed difficult to predict.

World

Silvio Berlusconi renounces to seek the Italian presidency

World

Silvio Berlusconi candidate for the presidency of the Republic against Prime Minister Mario Draghi

  • Silvio Berlusconi

  • Covid-19

  • Italy

  • World

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