More than four weeks after being admitted to a Milan clinic for treatment of pneumonia and chronic leukemia, Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi showed himself on Saturday in a video recorded at a party congress of his group Forza Italia in Milan. The video of Berlusconi’s message to Forza Italia activists was received with enthusiasm at the convention.
“Here I am. I am here for you, for the first time in more than a month,” Berlusconi said in his video address. The 86-year-old sat at a desk in front of a pile of papers. He has been lying in the San Raffaele Clinic in Milan.
The Milanese praised the performance of the government around Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who supports his Forza Italia. “We are the essential and unshakable pillar of this government majority, we are the backbone of this government. We are the guarantee that their decisions are really correct, fair and balanced,” said Berlusconi.
“We will continue on this path, with a loyal and constructive relationship with our allies, with whom we share not only a common program, but also a sincere and close friendship,” Berlusconi declared.
Berlusconi called for “united continent”
The media mogul called on his supporters gathered in Milan to fight for the 2024 European elections. “Europe is our point of reference. Only Europe can play a leading role in the great global challenges, starting with those of Chinese imperialism. We must ensure that Europe becomes a truly united continent, with different voting rules than now. We need to move from unanimity to qualified majority, which, as I suggested, could be the vote of 85 percent of European countries,” Berlusconi said. The party congress was chaired by Berlusconi’s right-hand man, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
The former prime minister was hospitalized in early April. He spent nearly two weeks in intensive care due to chronic leukemia and pneumonia. Then he could be transferred to a normal ward.
Been in ill health for years
Berlusconi shaped Italian political life for decades. The right-wing populist and media entrepreneur was Prime Minister of Italy four times from 1994 to 2011 with interruptions. He has been in poor health for years. At the end of 2020 he fell ill with Corona and pneumonia. In the years before, he had to be hospitalized because of a urinary tract infection. In 2016, he underwent heart surgery.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
