In June 2000 he was the richest man in Italy ($ 12.8 billion, according to "Forbes") and the leader of the biggest conservative political party in Italy, "Forza Italia", founded by him on January 18th, 1994. He is probably the most controversial political figure in Italy. His entry into politics was immediately the subject of a large national debate (which still goes on), which has divided the Italian people essentially in two parts. Italians moderates considered him the savior of his country from the danger of communist coalition (at that time led by Achille Occhetto), and because of that became the subject of a judicial persecution by the left politicized judiciary which is unprecedented in the history of Italy. The other part considered him the worst Italian criminal ever existed, accused in more than 20 court proceedings and who entered politics only to save himself from jail and expand his private business interests to the detriment of the rest of the nation. He has always fought with a particular force the left coalition in Parliament. It is also famous a hard verbal confrontation that took place in the European Parliament on July 2nd, 2003, with the German eurodeputy Martin Schulz: he heavily criticized Berlusconi and his government and so Berlusconi told him: "Signor Schulz, so che in Italia c'è un produttore che sta montando un film sui campi di concentramento nazisti: la suggerirò per il ruolo di Kapo. Lei è perfetto!".
