Silvio Berlusconi's opposition
centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party on Wednesday presented its
logo for May's European elections featuring the name
"Berlusconi" even though the ex-premier will not be able to
stand as a candidate.
The 77-year-old billionaire is ineligible as he was banned
from public office after the Supreme Court upheld a tax-fraud
sentence against him last year, his first definitive conviction
in two decades of legal battles.
The media magnate, who was also ejected from parliament
following the conviction, said the ruling was part of a campaign
by left-wing elements in the judiciary who want to sweep him out
of Italy's public life.
FI presented the logo along with its slogan for the May 25
election to select new members of the European Parliament - "Più
Italia in Europa. Meno Europa in Italia" (More Italy in Europe.
Less Europe in Italy).
Three-time premier Berlusconi has been highly critical of
the austerity the European Union imposed on countries as its
main response to the eurozone debt crisis.
There has been speculation that Berlusconi's two older
daughters could stand in the European elections to justify
having the family name on Fi's logo, although this has
repeatedly been denied.
Berlusconi's eldest daughter Marina, 47, is a top
executive at his media empire, and Barbara, 29, is one of two
CEOs at his AC Milan soccer club.
FI is currently third in the polls, according to several
surveys, with the support around 20% of voters, compared to
around 32% for Premier Matteo Renzi's centre-left Democratic
Party (PD) and around 22% for the anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement (M5S).
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