The 82-year-old politician has been taken by ambulance to one of Milan’s leading hospitals San Raffaele, where he underwent open-heart surgery in June 2016 after suffering aortic insufficiency. The former Prime Minister and leader of centre-right Forza Italia has been affected by renal colic, a spokesman said, reassuring Mr Berlusconi will do everything possible to attend the presentation of his MEP candidates later today.
The spokesman added in a statement: “President Silvio Berlusconi went to San Raffaele Hospital this morning for a therapy to tackle acute renal colic.
“He reassured that he wants to attend Forza Italia’s candidates’ launch after doctors are done with their analyses.”
Mr Berlusconi, whose party has always been part of the pro-EU moderate grouping European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament, has been a stark critic of the populist Italian Government.
The Italian tycoon, who has been Prime Minister for nine years, had unveiled earlier this month his party’s programme for the EU elections, where he presents himself as the europhile alternative to Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio, the two leaders of the populist Lega-Five Star Movement (M5S) coalition.
In his electoral manifesto, Mr Berlusconi spoke of the “urgency” to change Europe and told voters to let do it to those who matter in Brussels, such as the EPP.
Launching a harsher attack against Lega, with whom Forza Italia ran during last year’s Italian political election, and M5S than to his historical opponent, the left-wing Democratic Party (PD), Mr Berlusconi said in his manifesto: “The European elections are vital.
“It would be self-harm not to vote or keep on voting the same people who will be irrelevant the same way they have been responsible in Italy.
“Silvio Berlusconi has the authority and experience to give Italy a role in Europe.”
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