Five things you may not know about Silvio Berlusconi

He can pull the ladies, has loads of moolah and can tell a joke or two. JOE looks at five things you may not know about Silvio Berlusconi.

Thousands of women across Italy came together over the weekend to protest against Silvio Berlusconi’s leadership of the country.

It would be putting it mildly to say that the Italian PM has an eye for the ladies and his position has become increasingly precarious after allegations surfaced that he paid an under-age nightclub dancer for sex.

Prostitution is not illegal in Italy, but paying for sex with a person under 18 years of age or organising prostitution are crimes. A judgement is expected early this week on whether the PM will be indicted and face trial, or if the prosecutors’ request will be dismissed.

Berlusconi responded by saying that the prosecutors were breaking the law and that the allegations were an attempt to defame him in the media.

Anyway, Berlusconi is in the spotlight once again and we bring you down memory lane with the brash Berlusconi.

1. Berlusconi once worked as a singing waiter

In his college days Berlusconi worked his way through third level education as a singing waiter.

In fact, his paasion for music was so strong that he released an album of Neapolitan love songs last year with previously unknown singer and guitarist Mariano Appicella.

2. Berlusconi owns a football club and most of the media

Berlusconi also owns AC Milan, which some think has been an important factor in the success of his political career. The Italian PM also owns three national television channels, which hold approximately half the national viewing audience in addition to Publitalia, the leading Italian advertising and publicity agency. Actually, it would be easier to name the things Berlusconi doesn’t own in Italy.

3. Berlusconi told the unemployed to seek illegal work

In December 2002, Berlusconi astonished observers when he suggested that laid-off FIAT workers should take illegal non-tax-paying jobs to make ends meet. Now that’s the kind of man we need in the Irish political system.

4. Berlusconi thinks of himself as a funnyman

The Italian PM is renowned for blurting something out before thinking. Well, that’s giving him an excuse anyway.

On 4 April 2000, from his electoral ship, he told a controversial joke about AIDS.

A man with AIDS meets his doctor and asks him: "Doctor, what can I do for my illness?". The doctor answers: "Have a mud bath". "But doc, will that really do me any good?" "Not really, but you'll get used to being buried".

5. Berlusconi’s nickname is “The Knight”

"Il Cavaliere", meaning "The Knight”,  because in 1977 he became the youngest member of the Ordine Cavalleresco al Merito del Lavoro, an Italian order of knighthood reserved to entrepreneurs.