Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi was taken to the hospital on Wednesday, according to spokesman Paolo Emilio Russo.
Berlusconi, 86, was brought to the San Raffaele hospital in Milan for treatment, according to Russo.
He is currently in intensive care for respiratory problems, according to unconfirmed reports from Italian news outlets.
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Berlusconi served as the Italian premier for a total of nine years across four governments.
He is the longest-serving Italian leader since the country became a republic in 1946.
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Berlusconi has battled ill health for years, suffering from a compromised heart and previously overcoming prostate cancer.
In 2020, Berlusconi contracted a COVID-19 infection that threatened his life. He was hospitalized for 10 days and told the press it was one of the most dangerous health issues he had ever faced.
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The former premier received a check-up from his personal physician in San Raffele just last month during a multi-day visit.
He returned home and on Mar. 31 thanked his supporters who had reached out in support.
The iconic Italian politician remains highly controversial in his home country and abroad.
He has been convicted of multiple crimes both in and out of office — including a prostitution scandal and a 2013 tax fraud case that resulted in a six-year ban on him holding legislative office.
