Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is to face an immediate trial on charges of paying for sex with a minor and abusing his power to obtain her release from police custody.
Prosecutors have requested the trial as they believe they have already have enough evidence to avoid preliminary hearings. A judge now has several days to decide if a trial goes ahead, following which the process could begin in two months.
But the teflon tycoon denies any wrongdoing, and the latest poll suggests he still has the backing of 34 percent of the electorate.
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