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| Berlusconi immunity law overruled | Berlusconi immunity law overruled |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Italy's Constitutional Court has overturned a law granting Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office. | Italy's Constitutional Court has overturned a law granting Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office. |
| The move opens the possibility that Mr Berlusconi, 73, could stand trial in at least three court cases, including one in which he is accused of corruption. | The move opens the possibility that Mr Berlusconi, 73, could stand trial in at least three court cases, including one in which he is accused of corruption. |
| The judges said immunity violated the principle that all citizens were equal. | The judges said immunity violated the principle that all citizens were equal. |
| Mr Berlusconi said he had expected the ruling as the court was dominated by left-wing judges, and would not resign. | Mr Berlusconi said he had expected the ruling as the court was dominated by left-wing judges, and would not resign. |
| "We have a very organised minority of red [left-wing] magistrates who use justice for a political fight," he told reporters outside his residence in Rome. | "We have a very organised minority of red [left-wing] magistrates who use justice for a political fight," he told reporters outside his residence in Rome. |
| "We must govern for five years with or without the law." | "We must govern for five years with or without the law." |
| ANALYSIS Duncan KennedyBBC News, Rome Politically it's not quite clear what might happen now. It all depends on Mr Berlusconi himself, who has said in the past day or so that he would not resign if the cases went against him. Coalition partners the Northern League have spoken of mobilising their forces if Mr Berlusconi were to lose this case. They have not yet clarified their position on that - whether that would mean they would pull out from the coalition, sparking elections. We will wait to see. The opposition have already called on Mr Berlusconi to resign if he loses this case although they are very weak and fragmented and don't have the same power as Mr Berlusconi's coalition partners. | ANALYSIS Duncan KennedyBBC News, Rome Politically it's not quite clear what might happen now. It all depends on Mr Berlusconi himself, who has said in the past day or so that he would not resign if the cases went against him. Coalition partners the Northern League have spoken of mobilising their forces if Mr Berlusconi were to lose this case. They have not yet clarified their position on that - whether that would mean they would pull out from the coalition, sparking elections. We will wait to see. The opposition have already called on Mr Berlusconi to resign if he loses this case although they are very weak and fragmented and don't have the same power as Mr Berlusconi's coalition partners. |
| "The trials that they will hurl at me in Milan are real farces... but we'll carry on," he said, accusing the court, the media and the president of favouring the left. | "The trials that they will hurl at me in Milan are real farces... but we'll carry on," he said, accusing the court, the media and the president of favouring the left. |
| "I will spend some hours away from taking care of the government and refute them all as liars," he said. "These things invigorate me, they invigorate Italians. Long live Italy, long live Berlusconi!" | "I will spend some hours away from taking care of the government and refute them all as liars," he said. "These things invigorate me, they invigorate Italians. Long live Italy, long live Berlusconi!" |
| The BBC's Duncan Kennedy, in Rome, says the news has stunned Italy, where Mr Berlusconi has widespread public support, although it has dipped in recent times. | |
| The opposition has already called on him to step down, although it remains unclear how Mr Berlusconi's coalition partners will react, our correspondent says. | The opposition has already called on him to step down, although it remains unclear how Mr Berlusconi's coalition partners will react, our correspondent says. |
| When Mr Berlusconi came to office he was facing at least three court cases, including one involving the British lawyer David Mills. | When Mr Berlusconi came to office he was facing at least three court cases, including one involving the British lawyer David Mills. |
| In that case Mr Berlusconi was accused of bribing him to give false evidence. Mills, who said he was innocent, was sentenced in February to four years and six months in prison for corruption. | In that case Mr Berlusconi was accused of bribing him to give false evidence. Mills, who said he was innocent, was sentenced in February to four years and six months in prison for corruption. |
| 'Distractions' | 'Distractions' |
| Mr Berlusconi and his lawyers had argued that he needed the immunity law to carry out his duties as prime minister, our correspondent says. | Mr Berlusconi and his lawyers had argued that he needed the immunity law to carry out his duties as prime minister, our correspondent says. |
| The appeal to the Constitutional Court was launched by prosecutors including those from the Mills case. | The appeal to the Constitutional Court was launched by prosecutors including those from the Mills case. |
| They contended that immunity put Mr Berlusconi above the law and needed to be reversed. | They contended that immunity put Mr Berlusconi above the law and needed to be reversed. |
| Mr Berlusconi argued that immunity allowed him to govern without being "distracted" by the judiciary. | Mr Berlusconi argued that immunity allowed him to govern without being "distracted" by the judiciary. |
| This is the second time Italy's highest court has thrown out Mr Berlusconi's bid for immunity, after an earlier attempt in 2004 failed. | This is the second time Italy's highest court has thrown out Mr Berlusconi's bid for immunity, after an earlier attempt in 2004 failed. |
| Of the Constitutional Court's 15 members, five are selected by the president, five by the judiciary, and five by parliament. | Of the Constitutional Court's 15 members, five are selected by the president, five by the judiciary, and five by parliament. |
| They voted 9-6 to in favour of lifting Mr Berlusconi's immunity, the BBC's Duncan Kennedy says from Rome. | They voted 9-6 to in favour of lifting Mr Berlusconi's immunity, the BBC's Duncan Kennedy says from Rome. |
| The ruling comes at a time when the prime minister's approval ratings have been eroded by a series of sex scandals and his wife has announced that she is divorcing him. | The ruling comes at a time when the prime minister's approval ratings have been eroded by a series of sex scandals and his wife has announced that she is divorcing him. |
| Are you in Italy? What is your reaction to the Constitutional Court's ruling? What will be the implications of the decision? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Italy? What is your reaction to the Constitutional Court's ruling? What will be the implications of the decision? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |