The former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi passed away at the age of 86. He had been hospitalized since last Friday at San Raffaele in Milan for checks related to the disease – chronic myelomonocytic leukemia – from which he had been suffering for some time.

The Cavaliere’s health condition suddenly worsened in recent hours. This morning, at close quarters, all his sons and brother Paolo arrived at the hospital.

With four terms as prime minister-two of them consecutive, between 2001 and 2006-for a total of 3339 days, the leader of Forza Italia is the Italian politician who has served the longest as head of government.