A
abujagirl
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An Italian court has ruled that former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi should be barred from holding public office for two years following a conviction for tax fraud.
However, since Berlusconi is a senator, the court's decision will have no immediate effect and his expulsion from the Senate will depend on a separate vote in the upper house of parliament, expected to take place next month.
If the Senate expels him, Berlusconi will spend the year either under house arrest or in community service.
In a ruling on August 1, the supreme court had confirmed Berlusconi's conviction but ordered a further judicial review of a ban on holding public office imposed for the same offence.
The upper house's vote next month will effectively supersede the Milan court's decision because it will be based on a separate law, which, if he is expelled, would ban Berlusconi from public office for six years.
Losing his seat in the Senate would deprive Berlusconi, who is fighting a conviction for paying for sex with a minor among other legal cases, of his parliamentary immunity from arrest.
However, since Berlusconi is a senator, the court's decision will have no immediate effect and his expulsion from the Senate will depend on a separate vote in the upper house of parliament, expected to take place next month.
If the Senate expels him, Berlusconi will spend the year either under house arrest or in community service.
In a ruling on August 1, the supreme court had confirmed Berlusconi's conviction but ordered a further judicial review of a ban on holding public office imposed for the same offence.
The upper house's vote next month will effectively supersede the Milan court's decision because it will be based on a separate law, which, if he is expelled, would ban Berlusconi from public office for six years.
Losing his seat in the Senate would deprive Berlusconi, who is fighting a conviction for paying for sex with a minor among other legal cases, of his parliamentary immunity from arrest.
