then abused his authority by trying to get her released from custody
after police picked her up on suspicion of stealing.
It was a major setback for the 74-year-old premier,
whose personal entanglements have for months overshadowed the business
of governing
Whether he will lose his job as prime minister
remains unclear. Despite a nonstop stream of scandals surrounding both
his business dealings and personal life, Berlusconi has managed to stay
in power owing to a fragmented opposition, the loyalty of his proteges
in parliament and his control of most of
Members of Berlusconi’s People of
“The Italian judiciary, through a risible investigation, is trying to overturn the democratic order,” said
But opposition leaders called for Berlusconi’s resignation and immediate elections.
“Berlusconi should defend himself before the (court) as do all citizens who have nothing to hide,” said
The judge,
acting on hundreds of pages of documents submitted by prosecutors,
ruled that there was sufficient evidence to skip a preliminary hearing
and proceed directly to trial, to begin
Berlusconi’s business practices are already the
subject of three other court proceedings. This will be the first to
center on his personal behavior.
A self-made billionaire-turned-politician, he will
not be required to appear in court himself, leaving his team of lawyers
to combat charges that he paid to have sex with
While the age of consent is 14 and prostitution in general is not illegal in
Mahroug, who has since turned 18, was a regular
attendee of Berlusconi’s notorious private parties, which guests have
described in media interviews and in wiretapped conversations as full
of prostitutes. The “bunga bunga” parties routinely featured
stripteases and erotic games, attendees said.
Both Berlusconi and Mahroug deny that they had sex. But Mahroug has said that Berlusconi gave her jewelry and about
Prosecutors allege that when Mahroug was arrested in
last May on suspicion of theft in an unrelated incident, Berlusconi’s
office applied undue pressure on the police to release her from
custody, claiming that she was a relative of then-Egyptian President
Prosecutors accuse Berlusconi of intervening in
order to prevent his and Mahroug’s relationship from coming to light.
Berlusconi says he stepped in merely out of compassion for a young
woman in a tough spot.
His lawyers insist that prosecutors in
have no jurisdiction over a case involving the prime minister.
Berlusconi’s defense team is also expected to argue that Mahroug is
older than her official documents state.
The decision Tuesday came down two days after
hundreds of thousands of women staged protests against Berlusconi in
cities across
After the decision was released, one of Berlusconi’s attorneys,
Berlusconi denies that he insults women’s dignity.
He has said that, on the contrary, he tries to make women feel
“special” and that loving women is preferable to being gay.
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(c) 2011, Los Angeles Times.
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