Italy is commemorating the late businessman and politician Silvio Berlusconi with a grandeur befitting his melodramatic soap opera-worthy life, a British broadcaster writes BBC.
A man who started as a cruise ship musician and then ran a country with no previous political experience, built a media empire and left behind a wife and a string of lovers.
On Wednesday, June 14, the archbishop of Milan will conduct the official funeral ceremony of the politician in the city’s main cathedral. A day of mourning has been declared in Italy, and all Italian and European Union flags are flown at half-mast. It is an unusual tribute to a former prime minister. Usually, state funerals are reserved for popes, war heroes and serving ministers.
Berlusconi was closely associated with Milan – he was born and started his career there. Big screens have been installed in the city’s main square, and thousands of people are expected to come to say goodbye, the BBC reports.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a succession exercise is taking place: who will take over Berlusconi’s job?
During his lifetime, the politician built a vast business empire that spanned media, real estate, the financial sector, the film industry and sports, and created a party that is part of the current Italian government. In accordance with Forbes data, Berlusconi’s companies are worth around 5.15 billion dollars, which made him one of the richest people in Italy. It’s true that Berlusconi never publicly announced his successor in business, and questions about the future also swirl around the party Come on Italy.
Berlusconi has two children from his first marriage and three from his second. All own shares in the family holding Fininvest. The future of the companies largely depends on how Berlusconi distributed the 61% of shares he owned. Will all the children receive equal shares, or will more go to Marina and Pier Silvio, who have been working in Berlusconi’s companies since the 1990s?
Another valuable part of Berlusconi’s legacy is undoubtedly his many villas, which might be difficult to divide equally among the children.
Built in the 18th century Villa San Martino northeast of milan covers 3500 square meters. He also owned homes on Lake Maggiore, Rome, Cannes, the Caribbean and elsewhere. One of Berlusconi’s most notable properties is Villa Certosa, a spacious villa in Sardinia. The property is worth around €259 million and has 126 rooms and theme park-worthy features, including a man-made volcano. It was there that the former prime minister received the leaders of other countries, including George Bush and Vladimir Putin.
People close to the family have called Berlusconi the “glue” that united the children. So far there has been no discussion about who will take over the leadership of the business empire – his eldest daughter Marina, 56, is expected to do so. The most important question is whether the children will be able to maintain unity even now, after the death of their father.
Berlusconi’s death may also prove to be a fatal blow to the party he founded. Or Come on Italy will the navi of the bright leader survive, or will it face a rapid collapse? He was an articulate, populist leader, and it is no surprise that the party was largely built around his personality. Berlusconi’s right hand,
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani categorically denies that the future of the party is in danger.
However, already last September Come on Italy received the support of only 8% of voters. Many of the supporters cast their vote for the party simply because they were loyal to Berlusconi, and it will be difficult to find a successor who will satisfy them. The party is likely to turn to the Berlusconi family for a decision.
If Marina and Pier Silvio decide to stop funding the party and not get involved in political work, Come on Italy doomed to destruction. Berlusconi provided the party with considerable financial support, estimated at around 100 million euros. It is rumored that Marina could take her father’s place in the party, but there is no confirmation of this.
Another possible candidate is Berlusconi’s friend Marta Fascina. She has been a member of the party since 2018 and has repeatedly said that her passion is politics, and she grew up with the myth of Berlusconi. However, it is said that last year Berlusconi’s eldest daughter opposed her father’s marriage to Fashina, which means that
Berlusconi’s girlfriend’s future in the party is in doubt.
One thing is clear – yes Come on Italy split, it will be a big problem for other members of the coalition led by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
In a country famous for its regular political crises, the collapse of a government caused by the split of one coalition party is not unusual.
Until now, the Berlusconi children have avoided the public eye, but their father’s death could force them to come out of the shadows to take over the reins of the family business empire. Since Berlusconi has been plagued by health problems for years, it is unlikely that there has been a conversation about what to do after his death.
Read also: Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has died
2023-06-14 09:52:51
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