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Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has been admitted to a Milan hospital where he spent 45 days being treated for a lung infection and chronic leukaemia, according to Italian media.
The 86-year-old media mogul was readmitted to San Raffaele Hospital, where he was expected to spend at least one night, Italian news agency LaPresse reported, citing anonymous sources.
Mr Berlusconi was discharged from San Raffaele three weeks ago.
His Forza Italia Party is part of premier Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition but has no cabinet posts. He holds a seat in the Italian senate.
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Mr Berlusconi’s health has markedly deteriorated in recent years, with open-heart surgery in 2016 and numerous hospital admissions since contracting Covid-19 three years ago.
He served as prime minister in 1994-1995, 2001-2006 and 2008-2011 and although he doesn’t have a direct role in government, his Forza Italia party is a member of prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing coalition.
Shares in MFE-MediaForEurope, which is controlled by the Berlusconi family, extended gains after the news and were trading up over 2 per cent on Friday afternoon. – AP/Reuters