Rise and fall of Berlusconi

January 1994 Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi creates the Forza Italia party.

March 1994 Teaming with anti-immigrant ally Umberto Bossi in a centre-right coalition, he wins parliamentary elections.

November 1994 Offers to sell his three TV networks after prosecutors notify him they are investigating if his Fininvest conglomerate bribed tax inspectors.

December 1994 Mr Bossi yanks his party out of the coalition, forcing Mr Berlusconi’s resignation.

April 1996 Loses parliament elections to Romano Prodi, left.

May 2001 Wins national elections after pledging to cut taxes, create jobs and improve the country’s infrastructure.

September 2001 Says Western civilisation is superior to Islam after the September 11 attacks.

November 2001 Sends an Italian contingent to Afghanistan, left, to help in reconstruction efforts after the US-led invasion.

2003 Backs war in Iraq and sends Italian troops.

April 2005 Briefly resigns to reshuffle government after defeat in regional elections.

April 2006 Loses election to Mr Prodi. Refuses to concede defeat, alleges irregularities.

December 2006 Has heart surgery to instal pacemaker.

April 2008 Scores decisive victory over centre-left leader Walter Veltroni in parliamentary elections to win a third term as premier.

3 May 2009 Veronica Lario, left, seeks divorce after 19 years of marriage and three children. Angered he proposed showgirls as European Parliament candidates. She says she “cannot remain with a man who consorts with minors”. Noemi Letizia, the girl in question, left, reveals that she calls Mr Berlusconi “Papi”

September 2009 Refuses to resign over another sex scandal after call girl claims she taped him during night she says she spent at his Rome home.

December 2009 Injured after man hurls statuette at his face, right, in Milan.

December 2010 Wins back-to-back confidence votes in parliament.

February 2011 Indicted by a Milan court on charges he paid underage girl for sex and used his office to try to cover it up.

8 November 2011 Tells Italian president he will resign after parliament passes key economic reforms demanded by EU. Move follows loss of his parliamentary majority on a routine vote.