Biography

In June 2000 he was the richest man in Italy ($ 12.8 billion, according to "Forbes") and the leader of the biggest conservative political party in Italy, "Forza Italia", founded by him on January 18th, 1994. He is probably the most controversial political figure in Italy. His entry into politics was immediately the subject of a large national debate (which still goes on), which has divided the Italian people essentially in two parts. Italians moderates considered him the savior of his country from the danger of communist coalition (at that time led by Achille Occhetto), and because of that became the subject of a judicial persecution by the left politicized judiciary which is unprecedented in the history of Italy. The other part considered him the worst Italian criminal ever existed, accused in more than 20 court proceedings and who entered politics only to save himself from jail and expand his private business interests to the detriment of the rest of the nation. He has always fought with a particular force the left coalition in Parliament. It is also famous a hard verbal confrontation that took place in the European Parliament on July 2nd, 2003, with the German eurodeputy Martin Schulz: he heavily criticized Berlusconi and his government and so Berlusconi told him: "Signor Schulz, so che in Italia c'è un produttore che sta montando un film sui campi di concentramento nazisti: la suggerirò per il ruolo di Kapo. Lei è perfetto!".

He was nicknamed "Il Cavaliere" ("The Knight") because on June 2nd, 1977 he became the youngest member of the Ordine Cavalleresco al Merito del Lavoro, an Italian order of knighthood reserved to entrepreneurs. He has given up this honor in 2014.

In 1994, when he entered politics, resigned all the offices he held in his companies, except the office of chairman of A.C. Milan S.p.A. (1st division soccer team). The 2 children he had with his first wife, Carla Elvira Lucia Dall'Oglio (born on September 12th, 1940), are now among with the top directors of his group: Marina Berlusconi is vice-chairman of Fininvest S.p.A. (general holding company of Berlusconi's group) and Pier Silvio Berlusconi is vice-chairman of the Mediaset Group and chairman and chief executive of R.T.I.

He met and fell in love with actress Veronica Lario in 1980 when he was still married to first wife, Carla. They married on December 15th, 1990, and had 3 children: Barbara Berlusconi, Eleonora (born on May 7th, 1986) and Luigi (born on September 27th, 1988).

Took charge of Milan in 1986, transforming the club into one of the best in Europe and cheering them to four European Cup titles and seven Italian titles.