From the Pope to Putin, the messages in memory of Silvio Berlusconi

“For me Silvio was a dear person and a true friend,” he recalls Vladimir Putin. “I want to offer my condolences on the passing of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. We are thinking of you and of the Italian people» says the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a press conference in Washington with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. They are opposites on a day that saw the whole world remember the leader of Forza Italia in light and dark tones. There is the world of national and international politics, that of football, that of entertainment, opponents and friends.

Giorgia Meloni: «Silvio Berlusconi was above all a fighter, he was a man who was never afraid to defend his convictions and it was exactly that courage and that determination that made him one of the most influential men in the history of Italy. With him, Italy learned that it should never have limits imposed on it. He learned that he should never give up.”

The president of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in a statement on the death of Silvio Berlusconi: «I learn with deep sadness the news of the death of Silvio Berlusconi, founder and leader of Forza Italia, protagonist of long seasons of Italian politics and republican institutions. Berlusconi was a great political leader who marked the history of our Republic, influencing paradigms, uses and languages”.

Israeli premier, Benjamin Netanyahu: «I was deeply saddened by the passing of Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian Prime Minister. My deepest condolences go out to his family and to the Italian people. Silvio was a great friend of Israel and he was always close to us. Rest in peace my friend.’

Pope francesco he sent a telegram of condolences to the family expressing “heartfelt participation in mourning the loss of a protagonist of Italian political life, who covered public responsibilities with an energetic temper”.

Matthew Salvini: «Today a great Italian greets us. One of the greatest ever, in every sense. But above all today I lose a great friend. I’m broken and I rarely cry, today is one of those days. Safe travels Silvio, my friend».

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and coordinator of Forza Italia, Antonio Tajani: “An immense pain. Simply thank you President, thank you Silvio». Umberto Bossi, founder of the League: «I am moved. For many years he was like a brother ».

Ignatius the Russian, president of the Senate: «I was a personal friend and for me he was a sort of older brother, even if he didn’t like me, because he considered me his age, despite being 16 years his senior. One thing is certain: there was an Italy before Berlusconi entered politics and an Italy after. He changed Italian politics but also many other things».

Matthew Renzi, among the first to comment: «Silvio Berlusconi made history in this country. Many loved him, many hated him: everyone today must recognize that his impact on political but also economic, sporting and television life has been unprecedented ».

The secretary of the PD Elly Schlein: «In the face of the disappearance of Silvio Berlusconi, we want to convey all our closeness to the pain of his family, his loved ones and all of Forza Italia, just as we want it to reach the Government and the majority forces. An era ends with the death of Silvio Berlusconi. Everything has divided us and divides us from his political vision, however the respect that humanly owes to the one who was a protagonist in the history of our country remains ».

Ursula von der Leyen: «I am saddened by the news of the passing of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. He led Italy through a time of political transition and has continued to shape his beloved country ever since. I offer my condolences to his family and to the Italian people.”

Alberto Zangrillo, personal doctor of Silvio Berlusconi and head of Anesthesia and Intensive Care at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan: «Dear President. I apologize but I can’t find the words. You and I understood each other.”

Adrian Galliani, lifelong friend: «Broken, speechless, with immense pain I mourn the friend, the master of everything, the person who changed my life for over 43 years. Rest in peace dear President. With lots and lots of love.” Franco Baresi: «I feel more alone. To me he was like a father, a unique and loving president to all. He made my dreams come true.” «He leaves us a genius, visionary and dreamer, but above all a friend who changed the history of our Italy. Thank you for everything President, you have made all of us Milan fans live a dream lasting more than 30 years, no one will ever be like you.” Paul Maldini.

The French president Emmanuel Macron send condolences on behalf of the French people. «Silvio Berlusconi, former President of the Italian Council of Ministers, passed away today in Milan, at the age of 86. With the Cavaliere disappears a key figure of contemporary Italy, at the forefront of the political scene for many years, since his first election in 1994 as a deputy, up to the office of senator that he occupied until the end. Founder of the Forza Italia party, he was three times head of the Italian government, from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2006, and from 2008 to 2011. Linked to France, where he studied in his youth, Silvio Berlusconi participated, together with his French counterparts, in reaffirming the ties between our two sister nations, making use of the common love for thought, sport, the arts, and for the European path born of several centuries of shared history”. The photo of Silvio Berlusconi and the inscription in Cyrillic «liquidated» is on Myrotvoretzthe site considered close to Kiev services.

“Beautiful and unforgettable times. Thank you President» wrote the former Dutch striker on Instagram Mark Van Basten. Francesco Totti: «An honor to have met you, President». On Instagram, the former AC Milan midfielder, Demetrio Albertini: «Simply thank you president. I will hold close to many memories, many emotions and many teachings ».

Mario Monti: «Over the past thirty years, Silvio Berlusconi has exercised an unparalleled influence on Italian politics and, often, on international relations. I pay homage to this courageous, generous and controversial man, with whom I have had convergences and disagreements, but always in a relationship of esteem and loyalty. I owe him two debts of gratitude, one personal and one institutional, which I wish to recall today. It was Berlusconi, who had just become head of government in 1994, who wanted me to be European commissioner, thus directing my entire path, for which I was always grateful to him. On the institutional level, then, I believe that it is Italy that must acknowledge President Berlusconi for having, with the parliamentary support of his party, united with that of the Democratic Party and the Third Pole in true national unity, allowed Italy and to Europe to overcome, even with unpopular measures, the serious financial crisis that exploded in 2011″.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo: « In life as in sport and in everything there are great champions, very good entrepreneurs and champions who are few. He was a champion, there’s no doubt about that.”

Naomi Letizia: «In the face of death we must all be respectful and serious. This is the will of God and the universe. Even in war, wounded or killed enemies are sacred. Silvio Berlusconi was the Maradona of politics as well as football. Unfortunately when I was little and I was a minor, I was deluded and used by politics and I received no protection from the institutions or the mass media despite my age. But good can also come from evil. I’m against speculation.” «Goodbye president» and the image of a broken red heart by Karima El Mahroug, in art ruby.

Vittorio Sgarbi: «He was a hero of resistance to the judiciary. I was his friend in private, on the political level I could only share his positions. Friendship is a fundamental bond but no one, after Tortora, has been at the center of such an unfair judicial investigation. He sacrificed his personal life for an activity for which he wasn’t even so good, but he resisted the investigations of the judiciary that destroyed all parties. This is why he is a hero of resistance to the judiciary ».

Gianfranco Fini, former Speaker of the Chamber and leader of the National Alliance: «Thousands of words have been said by both of them about my political relationship with Silvio Berlusconi. At the hour of his painful passing, I would like to pay homage to him by remembering his great humanity. In February 2008 when, a few days apart, we both lost our mother, Silvio was really, in a painful moment for both of us, a friend who comforted me. With the same sentiment, I address my heartfelt condolences to the children, family members and community of Forza Italia.

The general secretary of the CGIL, Maurizio Landini: «With Silvio Berlusconi disappears a personality who has marked the history of the last 30 years of the country’s political and entrepreneurial life, who must be recognized as having never lacked courage, the ability to unite, the determination to build a business. We had deep political and cultural distances with him and with the governments he represented, especially on labor rights and social rights. I want to remember your personal solidarity phone call I received when our national headquarters was the object of the squad attack». “On this sad day, it is time for everyone to respect and condolence by expressing on behalf of the whole CGIL the closeness and deepest condolences to the family, to the Forza Italia party, to all Silvio Berlusconi’s loved ones”.

«Today’s sadness does not erase the happy moments spent together. There remains infinite gratitude to the president, but above all to an ironic, loyal, intelligent, sincere man, fundamental in my adventure as a football player first, and then as a coach. Thank you President », former AC Milan midfielder and coach Charles Ancelotti.

Mario Draghi: «I express my deepest condolences for the death of Silvio Berlusconi, the absolute protagonist of Italian public life for the last fifty years. As an entrepreneur he revolutionized the world of communication and sport, with an extraordinary spirit of initiative and innovation. As a leader he transformed politics and was loved by millions of Italians for his humanity and his charisma. To the family, to the employees of his group, to the Forza Italia community, my deepest condolences ».