Berlusconi 'in hospital for checks'

Milan (Italy), Dec 7 (IANS/AKI) Italy's ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi was admitted to Milan's San Raffaele hospital for "routine" cardio tests, sources from his conservative Forza Italia party said on Wednesday.

Hospital doctors are said to want to check Berlusconi after "his heartbeat was not always regular" during several weeks of stressful campaigning for a 'No' vote in Italy's recent constitutional reforms referendum.

The 80-year-old media mogul had open-heart surgery at San Raffaele in June to replace his aortic valve and in late September flew to New York for a routine heart checkup and spent several days in hospital there after feeling unwell as his plane landed.

Berlusconi's political fortunes have waned since being ousted from parliament and banned from holding public office over a 2013 tax fraud conviction but he is eyeing a comeback after the 'No' camp's resounding victory in Sunday's reforms referendum which toppled centre-left Premier Matteo Renzi.

A national unity government including Italy's main political forces may be announced this week by President Sergio Mattarella, according to observers.

--IANS/AKI

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