Silvio Berlusconi hopeful EU court will agree public office bar violated his rights

Three-time Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi is hopeful the European Court of Human Rights will agree Italy violated his rights by barring him from public office, but will join in the electoral campaign regardless.

The Strasbourg-based court held a first appeal hearing today for the 81-year-old, barred from public office after a tax fraud conviction, who emerged from the political shadows in the run-up to the 2018 elections.