Former Italian PM Berlusconi in intensive care

ROME - Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was admitted to the intensive care unit of a Milan hospital Wednesday, the Rome office of his political party Forza Italia has confirmed.

News reports say he has severe cardiovascular problems, and has had ongoing health issues for several years. Il Giornale, a Milan daily newspaper owned by the Berlusconi family, said the leader had "difficulty breathing" but was in stable condition at San Raffaele Hospital.

Meanwhile, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani said Berlusconi was "alert and speaking".

Berlusconi suffered from a serious case of COVID-19 in 2020, and has also overcome heart surgery and prostate cancer.

Forza Italia is a junior partner in the coalition supporting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Berlusconi is a member of the Italian Senate. He has headed four separate Italian governments between 1994 and 2011.

Berlusconi is also listed by Forbes Magazine as one of the world's top 500 billionaires, with a net worth of around 7 billion US dollars. Most of his fortune comes from Mediaset, Italy's largest private broadcaster.