Jonathan Maitland profiles Silvio Berlusconi, who hosts the latest G8 summit in the wake of accusations of hiring prostitutes, as well as corruption and media interference. Despite these criticisms, he still manages to remain popular with Italian voters.
Friends, colleagues and critics discuss what has made Berlusconi so successful and whether those talents are enough to ensure that he survives the current controversy about his private life.
BBC Radio 4's Profile of Silvio Berlusconi was originally broadcast on Saturday, 4 July 2009 at 1900BST
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