[JURIST Europe] Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi [official profile; BBC profile] called Italy's judiciary “the disease of our democracy” in a weekend TV interview, promising changes to the judicial system as he himself faces the possibility of a new trial before upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for April 9-10. The combative conservative politician has long blamed supposedly left-leaning magistrates for his many legal problems. Last week Milan prosecutors asked a judge to indict him on corruption charges [JURIST report]. Under Italian law, the judge has 20 days to consider the prosecutor’s request.

During his five years in office, Berlusconi has made reforming the judiciary a priority, prompting criticism that he was using his position to shape the system in order to avoid his own troubles with the law. AP has more.

Tatyana Margolin is an Associate Editor for JURIST Europe, reporting European legal news from a European perspective. She is based in the UK.