On 12 June 2023, former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi died at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, aged 86, due to complications from a severe form of chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia. On the same day, the Italian government announced a state funeral and proclaimed a national day of mourning for 14 June.
Illness and death On 27 March 2023, Silvio Berlusconi was admitted to San Raffaele Hospital for three days after suffering pains. In April 2023, Berlusconi was hospitalised at the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, and was treated in intensive care, after suffering breathing problems, due to severe pneumonia caused by a form of leukaemia. On 6 April, it was reported that Berlusconi started chemotherapy.
After being discharged from the hospital on 19 May, Berlusconi was hospitalised again on 9 June 2023. His health conditions dramatically worsened in the night between 11 and 12 June, and he died at 9:30 (CEST) on 12 June 2023. He was 86.
Lying in state A few hours after his death, Berlusconi's body was brought to Villa San Martino, Berlusconi's mansion in Arcore, where he lay in state in the villa's private chapel. Due to security reasons, only relatives and close friends could access the chapelle ardente.
The following day, a requiem Mass in memory of the deceased was celebrated in the chapel by Father Giandomenico Colombo, priest in charge of Arcore and private chaplain of the mansion, at the presence of relatives and close friends.
Funeral Italy's Council of Ministers declared a day of national mourning on the day of the funeral, also ordering that flags be flown half mast for three days; this was met with protests and polemics by some members of the centre-left coalition, as well as some jurists and political scientists.
Mario Delpini, the archbishop of Milan, officiated Berlusconi's Ambrosian Rite state funeral on 14 June 2023 in the Milan Cathedral. Monsignor Delpini delivered an homily on the meaning of life, mentioning some elements of Berlusconi's life (business, public life, and politics). He concluded: "That's what we can say about Silvio Berlusconi: he was a man and now he will meet God."
The homily caused controversy and different interpretations. It was described as "gelid" by , while the Corriere della Sera described it as "a perfect portrait, devoid of any hypocrisy", saying that it was deeply appreciated by Berlusconi's family, and Il Foglio called it "a great homily". Il Messaggero remarked that the homily was inspired by the theology of Father Luigi Giussani, founder of Communion and Liberation.
The funeral was attended by 2,300 people in the Cathedral and 15,000 people in the square outside of it. Supporters of Berlusconi chanted C'è solo un presidente! ("There is only one president!") and applauded while the coffin was entering and then leaving the Cathedral. Anti-communist chants were also reported.
Clergy Monsignor Mario Delpini, Archbishop of Milan Monsignor Gianantonio Borgonovo, archpriest of the Cathedral Monsignor Francesco Pesce, chaplain of the Chamber of Deputies Monsignor Emil Paul Tscherring, apostolic nuncio for Italy Father Giandomenico Colombo, priest in charge of Arcore and private chaplain of Villa San Martino
Guests Family Barbara Berlusconi, daughter Eleonora Berlusconi, daughter Luigi Berlusconi, son Marina Berlusconi, daughter Pier Silvio Berlusconi, son Paolo Berlusconi, brother Marta Fascina, partner Veronica Lario, ex-wife Francesca Pascale, former partner
National politicians Governmental officials President Sergio Mattarella Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa President of the Chamber of Deputies Lorenzo Fontana President of the Constitutional Court Silvana Sciarra Former Prime Minister Mario Draghi Former Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni Former Prime Minister Mario Monti Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Minister Andrea Abodi Minister Anna Maria Bernini Minister Roberto Calderoli Minister Marina Elvira Calderone Minister Elisabetta Casellati Minister Luca Ciriani Minister Guido Crosetto Minister Raffaele Fitto Minister Francesco Lollobrigida Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti Minister Nello Musumeci Minister Carlo Nordio Minister Matteo Piantedosi Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano Minister Daniela Santanchè Minister Adolfo Urso Minister Giuseppe Valditara Minister Paolo Zangrillo Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano Undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi Regional presidents President of Piedmont, Alberto Cirio President of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Massimiliano Fedriga President of Liguria, Giovanni Toti President of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana President of Campania, Vincenzo De Luca President of Veneto, Luca Zaia Other Italian politicians Leader of Action, Carlo Calenda Leader of Us with Italy, Maurizio Lupi Leader of Union of the Centre, Lorenzo Cesa Leader of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein Leader of Forza Italia group in the Chamber of Deputies, Paolo Barelli Leader of Democratic Party group in the Senate of the Republic, Francesco Boccia Leader of Democratic Party group in the Chamber of Deputies, Chiara Braga Leader of Lega group in the Chamber of Deputies, Riccardo Molinari Leader of Action – Italia Viva group in the Senate, Raffaella Paita Leader of Action – Italia Viva group in the Chamber of Deputies, Matteo Richetti Leader of Lega group in the Senate, Massimiliano Romeo Leader of Forza Italia group in the Senate, Licia Ronzulli Deputy Umberto Bossi, president of the Lega Nord Deputy and leader of the Animalist Movement, Michela Vittoria Brambilla Senator Pier Ferdinando Casini Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Lara Comi Senator Dario Franceschini MEP Alessandra Mussolini Deputy Giulio Tremonti Deputy Benedetto Della Vedova Mayor of Viterbo, Chiara Frontini Gianni Letta, former Secretary of the Council of Ministers Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala Denis Verdini, former coordinator of Forza Italia and former leader of the Liberal Popular Alliance Singer and former MEP Iva Zanicchi
Foreign politicians and diplomats Leaders Prime Minister Edi Rama Prime Minister Viktor Orbán President Abdul Latif Rashid Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Captains regent Adele Tonnini and Alessandro Scarano
Other politicians Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economy Manfred Weber, leader of the European People's Party Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz Ambassador to Rome, Viktor Elbling Foreign Minister Ian Borg Minister without portfolio Đorđe Milićević Ambassador to Rome, Miguel Ángel Fernández-Palacios Martínez Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan Ambassador to Rome, Ömer Gücük Former Minister of European Union Affairs, Ömer Çelik Ambassador to Rome, Lord Llewellyn
Sportspeople General manager of U.S. Cremonese, Paolo Armenia Former footballer of AC Milan, Franco Baresi General manager of ACF Fiorentina, Joe Barone President of Torino FC, Urbano Cairo General manager of U.S. Sassuolo Calcio, Giovanni Carnevali President of Juventus FC, Gianluca Ferrero President of the FIFA, Gianni Infantino Owner of Filmauro and president of SSC Napoli, Aurelio De Laurentiis CEO for sport of Inter Milan, Beppe Marotta President of Inter Milan, Steven Zhang President of Football Association of Montenegro and former footballer of AC Milan, Dejan Savićević
Other guests President of Mediaset, Fedele Confalonieri
Cremation and burial After the religious ceremony, Berlusconi's body was brought back to Villa San Martino; he was then transferred to the Tempio Crematorio Valenziano Panta Rei in Valenza, where he was cremated. His ashes were then interred in the Chapel of Saint Martin in the mansion grounds, close to the resting place of his parents Luigi and Rosa, and his sister Maria Antonietta.
Reactions National
Italy President Sergio Mattarella said: "Berlusconi was a great political leader who marked the history of our republic, influencing its paradigms, uses and languages. ... He was a person with great humanity and a successful entrepreneur, an innovator in his field. He has conquered positions of absolute prominence in the television industry and in the media sector, well before his direct involvement in institutions." Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said: "Silvio Berlusconi was above all a fighter. He was a man who had never been afraid of defending his ideas and it was exactly that courage and that determination which made him one of the most influential men in the history of Italy. ... With him, Italy learned that it should never have limits imposed on it, it learned that it should never give up. With him we have fought, won and lost, many battles and for him too we will bring home the goals we set ourselves together." President of the Senate Ignazio La Russa said: "There was an Italy before Silvio Berlusconi and an Italy after he entered the field of politics, just as I believe there was an Italy until yesterday and another one from tomorrow, without Berlusconi. If we look at the history of the last few decades, he has changed politics, urban planning, television, football, diplomacy. Wherever he applied, he brought about change." Former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said: "Silvio Berlusconi was an entrepreneur and a politician who contributed to write significant pages of our history in every field in which he ventured. He has ignited and polarised the public debate perhaps like no other, and even those who have faced him as a political opponent must recognise that he has never lacked courage, passion, tenacity." Former Prime Minister Mario Draghi said: "As an entrepreneur Berlusconi revolutionised the world of communication and sport, with an extraordinary spirit of initiative and innovation. As a leader he transformed politics and was loved by millions of Italians for his humanity and his charisma." Former Prime Minister Romano Prodi, historically a rival of Berlusconi in politics, said: "I share my deep condolences for the passing of Silvio Berlusconi. In our long political confrontation we have represented different and opposing worlds, but our rivalry has never transcended into feelings of enmity on a personal level, maintaining the confrontation in an environment of mutual respect." Former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said: "Silvio Berlusconi made history in this country. Many loved him, many hated him: everyone today must recognise that his impact on political but also economic, sporting and television life was unprecedented. Today Italy mourns alongside his family, his loved ones, his companies, his party. To all those who loved him, my most affectionate and most sincere embrace."
International Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent his condolences to Prime Minister Meloni, "the friendly people of Italy, and the family and friends of Berlusconi". Austria Chancellor Karl Nehammer expressed his condolences to his family and the Italian people. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev described Berlusconi as a "renowned statesman and politician" who "had a great contribution to development and expansion of friendly and cooperative relations", and expressed his condolences to his family, President Mattarella, and all the people of Italy. Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa sent his condolences to President Mattarella. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko described Berlusconi as a "brilliant and talented person, a politician who knew how to assess situations independently, make effective decisions and take responsibility for them" and extended his condolences to his family and friends. Bulgaria