Pier Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday refused to rule out a future in politics, marking a shift from past denials. The MediaForEurope CEO and son of late ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi said he had no immediate plans to enter politics but left the door open.
Pier Silvio Berlusconi spoke at the launch of Mediaset’s new programming season. He said, “I don’t intend to follow in my father’s footsteps – for now.”
He praised Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, calling her government the “best in Europe”.
“She’s young, she came from nothing, and she’s put together a serious and patriotic government,” he said. “Patriotism, not nationalism – that’s something different.”
His comments drew mixed political reactions. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who leads Forza Italia, said it would be “excellent” if Berlusconi entered politics.
But Berlusconi also criticised a proposal from Forza Italia to allow children of migrants born in Italy to apply for citizenship before 18, if they had attended Italian schools for 10 years.
His statement caused a backlash from some centrists.
Matteo Renzi, leader of Italia Viva and a former prime minister, announced he would cut ties with Mondadori, the publisher of his recent books. The Berlusconi family control Mondadori.
Renzi said he was leaving “to preserve my dignity” and rejected the idea that Meloni leads Europe’s best government. “I will never accept trading my freedom for money,” he wrote.
Pier Silvio Berlusconi has long focused on business, unlike his late father, who founded both Mediaset and Forza Italia.
