Berlusconi to aid elderly as tax fraud punishment

ROME— Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was ordered Tuesday to spend four hours a week helping the elderly to repay society for his tax fraud conviction, a sentence that imposes few restrictions on his campaigning in the upcoming European elections.

The 77-year-old three-time former premier cannot run in the elections due to the conviction, but he remains influential in politics as head of the Forza Italia party. His support is also crucial for a constitutional reform to abolish the Senate sought by Premier Matteo Renzi. The two men met on the eve of the court’s decision in Renzi’s offices, according to Italian media reports.

Berlusconi’s four-year sentence for tax fraud was confirmed by Italy’s highest court last summer, the first ever against the media mogul in dozens of prosecutions, and reduced to one year under a general amnesty aimed at easing overcrowding in Italian prisons.

Due to Berlusconi’s age and the relatively short sentence, prison time was never likely. He was, however, booted from the Senate and given a two-year ban on running for elected office.

Berlusconi’s lawyers, who petitioned for community service rather than the more restrictive house arrest, called the one-year community service assignment “balanced” also in regard to Berlusconi’s political activity. Berlusconi was already meeting in Rome on Tuesday with members of his party to determine candidates for vote at the end of May.

Berlusconi is still on trial for political corruption in Naples and under investigation in Milan for witness tampering in trials relating to sexfuelled parties at his villa near Milan. His appeals trial for a conviction for having paid for sex with a minor and using his influence to cover it up is scheduled to open in June.