Berlusconi krijgt geen immuniteit in corruptieschandaal (en)

Italy's top court has declared the controversial immunity law, which protected Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from prosecution while in office, unconstitutional.

This news will come as a shock to Mr Berlusconi as he now faces a renewed corruption trial in Milan which is expected to resume in about two months.

The Italian Prime Minister is accused of attempting to bribe judges to block the takeover of a firm by a business rival in the 1980s.

The immunity law, passed just days before Italy took over the EU Presidency in June, was perceived as an attempt by Mr Berlusconi to kill off the corruption trial against him.

The law also applied to the president, speakers of both houses of parliament, and the president of the constitutional court.

The court's sentence was applauded by former anti-corruption judge, Antonio di Pietro.

"It's good news because we have always said that this law is unconstitutional and immoral," he said, according to the BBC.

But others warned of complications ahead.

Justice Minister Roberto Castelli said that the ruling will complicate the relationship between politics and magistracy. I fear, he said, that after this ruling polemics will return to being more bitter.