Silvio Berlusconi, former Italian prime minister and mogul, dies

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Foreign leaders -- many of whom did not agree with Berlusconi's politics -- have expressed their condolences on Monday.

In a short tribute, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said she was “saddened by the news of the passing" of the former prime minister.

"He led Italy in a time of political transition and since then continued to shape his beloved country," she said.

German government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner said at a regular news conference on Monday that his country was expressing "condolences to the Italian people and government," following Berlusconi's death.

Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia, has tweeted his “sincere condolences” to the people of Italy, writing that the former Italian PM leaves a “remarkable legacy.”

A longtime protagonist of [Italy] and [European Union] politics, he leaves a remarkable legacy. We will also remember him as a great supporter and friend of [Croatia]. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends,” Plenković wrote.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted his condolences, saying he was “deeply saddened” by his death.

“Silvio was a great friend of Israel and stood by us at all times. Rest in peace my friend,” he said.

Pope Francis has paid a tribute to Silvio Berlusconi in a telegram sent to the former Italian prime minister's daughter Maria Elvira.

The telegram, sent by the Vatican on the pontiff's behalf, said Francis wanted to "extend his closeness" to the family and assure them to of "his heartfelt participation in mourning the loss of a key figure in Italian political life."

The pope described Berlusconi as someone who "held public responsibilities with an energetic temperament."

Francis is currently at the Gemelli hospital in Rome, recovering from an abdominal surgery last Wednesday.

Flags are flying at half-staff at Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Italian Senate, and in other buildings housing offices of the Senate following the death of Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Berlusconi represented the northern municipality of Monza in the Italian Senate. His election into the upper chamber of the Italian Parliament last September, marked the last of his many returns to the top levels of Italian politics.

On Monday, Berlusconi's remains were transported from the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, where he died, to his residence in Arcore, where his family will get the chance to "say their final goodbyes," a family spokesperson told CNN.

On Tuesday, the coffin will travel back to Milan, home to the headquarters of Berlusconi's media empire Mediaset.

A state funeral -- customary for current and former prime ministers in Italy -- will be held at the Milan's Duomo at 3 p.m. (9 a.m. ET) on Wednesday, a spokesman for the diocese told CNN.

A national day of mourning has been declared by Alfredo Mantovano, an undersecretary at the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The death of Silvio Berlusconi, who was often called "Teflon Don" for his capacity to survive scandal, brings an end to an era of Italian politics.

It was an era marked more by gaffes than substance. From his entrance onto the Italian political scene in 1994, he defined the art of man before country, putting himself and his agenda ahead of the good of the people.

On countless occasions, Berlusconi changed legislation to lengthen statutes of limitations and rewrote criminal code to escape prosecution.

When he was accused of crimes, it only bolstered his base.

No other Italian politician has been voted into office as often as Berlusconi. Likewise, no other Italian politician has been under criminal investigation -- or convicted -- as often as he was.

He had been convicted of tax fraud and abetting an underage prostitute (a conviction later overturned on appeal), and banned from holding office. The episode led to years of mistrust of Italian politics by Italian people and tarnished Italy's reputation abroad.

Berlusconi's return to power, as part of Giorgia Meloni's center-right coalition, was nothing short of a miracle.

Though he did not hold office, he held power and was seen as the one person in his Forza Italia party who supported the coalition with Meloni and Matteo Salvini. News of his death on Monday leaves a question over whether it will continue to support this government. 

The news of Silvio Berlusconi's death sparked a range of reaction across Italy, a testament to his complicated and divisive legacy.

Many loathed him for his populist policies and disregard for the law. But many others revered him as someone fighting for the interests of his country and people.

Responding to the news of Berlusconi's death on Monday morning, several Rome residents told CNN they saw him as someone who was good for Italy.

Maurizio, a 60-year-old bread-seller at a market, told CNN: "Berlusconi was a man, a politician that actually fought for Italy. Until the end, even while he was dying.

“The politicians that are leading today are finally doing that again, I think Berlusconi helped make that happen. But let’s see how long that lasts," he added.

But others were far less happy with Berlusconi's legacy.

Waiting for his metro train to arrive, Giovanni Petruzzi, 46, said that while "it’s never nice to hear of a death," he was hoping "the policies and corruption Berlusconi represent and that he kept alive also died with him.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has paid tribute to former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as "an outstanding politician" and "a true patriot.”

In a message sent to Italy's President Sergio Mattarella and published on the Kremlin website on Monday, the Russian president said Berlusconi "will be remembered in Russia as a consistent and principled supporter of strengthening friendly relations between our countries."

"He made a truly invaluable personal contribution to the development of mutually beneficial Russian-Italian partnerships,” the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying.

"The most important events in the recent history of Italy are connected with the name of this remarkable person. Silvio Berlusconi always put the interests of the fatherland above all else."

Putin's message also touched on their personal relationship. “For me, Silvio was a dear person, a true friend. I have always sincerely admired his wisdom, his ability to make balanced, far-sighted decisions even in the most difficult situations," he said, adding: "During each of our meetings, I was literally charged with his incredible vitality, optimism, and sense of humor. His death is an irreparable loss and great grief.”

Berlusconi sparked criticism last year, when an audio tape emerged of him boasting about having “re-established” his relationship with Putin, just months after the Russian leader ordered a full scale invasion of Ukraine.

Berlusconi tried to downplay his comments after they were published. “I don’t deny my past friendship with Vladimir Putin, that brought important results, which were achieved in full accord with our Western allies… But today the circumstances have changed," he said.

Just a few months after that, Berlusconi was among a small handful of world leaders included on Putin's Christmas greetings lists, along with the likes of Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, Syria's Bashar al-Assad and Hungary's Viktor Orban.

Silvio Berlusconi was the dominant figure in Italian politics for nearly two decades, a period which also saw him tried on at least 17 charges, involving allegations of embezzlement, tax fraud and bribery.

He always denied wrongdoing and many of the cases were overturned on appeal. Here is a timeline of the trials and tribulations of Berlusconi:

1990s - Berlusconi is first sentenced for accounting fraud at his holding company Fininvest -- which would eventually own television networks, department stores, and the AC Milan football team. His sentence is later suspended.
He is then fined for corruption and is sentenced for bribing tax inspectors. An appeals court overturns the corruption charges in October 1999 and the bribery conviction is thrown out in May 2000.
2000s - After a second stint as prime minister, Berlusconi is accused of tax fraud in 2006 after allegedly paying British lawyer David Mills $600,000. Berlusconi is eventually convicted of tax fraud, is sentenced and barred from public office for five years. Berlusconi files an appeal and his sentence is reduced to one year of community service at a nursing home.
2010s - Magistrates in Milan reveal they are investigating whether Berlusconi paid for sex with an underage girl and then abused his power by trying to cover it up. Berlusconi is found guilty of having sex with an underage prostitute and is sentenced to seven years in prison. Berlusconi resigns in 2011 -- not for legal issues -- but because of Italy's debt crisis. An appeals court overturns the conviction in July 2014.
In July 2015, Berlusconi is convicted of bribing a senator to change political factions. He is sentenced to three years in prison and banned from holding public office for five years. However, since the statute of limitations is due to expire before any appeals proceeding can take place, Berlusconi does not serve prison time
2020s - The four-time prime minister makes a political comeback, winning a seat in Italy’s Senate in 2022.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair described Silvio Berlusconi as "a larger than life figure" on Monday, reminiscing about his time "working closely" with the former Italian Prime Minister when he was leader.

"I know he was controversial for many but for me he was a leader whom I found capable, shrewd and, most important, true to his word," Blair said in a statement.

"He was an ally on many occasions in European Councils, fiercely protective of Italy’s interests but always looking for a practical solution to a tricky problem."

Blair and Berlusconi were close allies during their terms as Prime Ministers. Most notably, Berlusconi remained a staunch supporter of Blair and US President George W. Bush at a time when other European leaders were critical of the Iraq war. Berlusconi also supported Blair in his ultimately unsuccessful bid to become the President of the European Council in 2009.

While Blair didn't mention either of the two occasions in his statement, he highlighted Berlusconi's support for the UK's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games.