MILAN, Italy -- A Milan court has ruled that Silvio Berlusconi will perform a year of community service at a centre for the elderly for his tax fraud conviction.
The assignment curtails Berlusconi's ability to participate in the upcoming European election campaign -- a point of contention among his political allies. The 77-year-old, three-time former premier cannot run due to the conviction, the first against him ever confirmed by Italy's high court, but remains a political force as head of Forza Italia.
The court said Tuesday that Berlusconi must spend most of his time in the Lombard region, where he lives, but granted permission to travel to Rome from Tuesday to Thursday each week.
Berlusconi was sentenced to four years for tax fraud, reduced to one year for a general amnesty.
