Berlusconi says will stand in Senate

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 10 - Three-time former premier and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi said Wednesday he would stand for the Senate in the September 25 general election, ending speculation on whether he would run or not four days before his 86th birthday.
The scandal-hit billionaire, who is still facing trial for allegedly bribing bunga bunga party witnesses, has been out of the Italian parliament for almost 10 years but was elected to the European Parliament in 2019.
    "I think I'll stand in the Senate, that way we'll make everyone happy," said the billionaire businessman, who served a one-year tax fraud office ban in 2013 and who leads the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party.
    Berlusconi said Tuesday supporters had been urging him to stand but he still hadn't made his mind up.
    Berlusconi was once by far the top dog on Italy's centre right, but he was supplanted first by former anti-migrant interior minister and far-right League leader Matteo Salvini and more recently by post-fascist Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni, who looks set to become Italy's first hard-right and first woman prime minister after September 25.
    FdI leads the coalition with 23.8% of voting intentions as of today compared to 12.5% for the League and just 8% for FI, down from the high 20s 10 years ago.
    Salvini on Tuesday reiterated that Meloni will become premier if she gets one more vote than him. (ANSA).