Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the president of Italian bishops conference CEI, said Friday that ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi should consider the current climate after the centre-right leader announced he was ready to return to the political field following his acquittal of charges of knowingly paying for sex with an underage prostitute. "What individuals decide is always a personal decision, but it is taken in social, political and labour contexts that it is necessary to take account of," Bagnasco said when asked about the case. "Personal decisions are not enough".
On Thursday CEI newspaper Avvenire published an editorial suggesting the ex-premier still had a moral case to answer over so-called 'bunga bunga' sex parties at his home near Milan.
"There is a lot to reflect on about how the trial was addressed and its consequences, but the favourable criminal outcome for Berlusconi does not cancel out the case's institutional and moral significance," read a piece by Avvenire Editor Marco Tarquinio on Thursday.
On Tuesday Italy's supreme Court of Cassation upheld an appeals court's decision to clear Berlusconi, after a first-instance trial had found the Forza Italia leader guilty and sentenced him to seven years in prison. The appeals court said it had been shown that prostitution took place at Berlusconi's home, but said there was no proof the 78-year-old billionaire knew a Moroccan dancer called Ruby the Heartstealer, whose real name is Karima El Mahroug, was under 18 at the time. The supreme court also upheld the appeals court's decision to acquit Berlusconi of an abuse of office charge, saying there was no evidence he threatened police in a phone call to get them to release El Mahroug after she was detained on an unrelated theft accusation in 2010.
Rightwing Northern League chief Matteo Salvini, meanwhile, said Friday that Berlusconi can no longer lead the centre right but has a "very important" role to play
Salvini, who Berlusconi has touted as a possible leader of the centre right, said: "you have to look ahead, Berlusconi as centre right leader would be like going backwards".
He added: "Berlusconi can still be very important, but I'm looking forward".
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