Silvio Berlusconi. Photograph by Ricardo Stuckert/Abr
Former Italian President Silvio Berlusconi has been ousted from the Senate after being convicted of tax fraud.
His dismissal is the culmination of four months of political wrangling following his conviction in August, with the loss of his seat ending nearly two decades at the centre of Italian politics for the flamboyant billionaire.
Berlusconi continued to claim his innocence throughout his fraud trial and the following procedures in the Senate that led to him being stripped of his seat. Before the final vote Berlusconi attacked the decision before a crowd of supporters, vowing to remain involved in Italian politics.
By stripping Berlusconi of his seat in the Senate, Berlusconi has now also lost his parliamentary immunity.
