Tension in Italy ahead of Berlusconi tax fraud ruling Suspense mounted in Italy on Wednesday ahead of a court ruling for former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi which could upset the fragile coalition government in the eurozone's third largest economy. Berlusconi at his last appeal was given a sentence of a year in prison and a five-year ban from parliament, which has been suspended pending this final appeal. Berlusconi's lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said the ruling could come later on Wednesday after the defence presents its final arguments to the panel of judges. Images and a voxpop