Italian Supreme Court upholds Berlusconi's ban from office

ROME, March 19 (UPI) -- Italy's Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a two-year ban on former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi holding a public office.

Berlusconi was banned from holding office after he was convicted of tax fraud, Gaztta del Sud reported.

The center-right Forza Italia party leader was kicked out of parliament last year over a separate six-year ban from office under an anti-corruption law that was applied to Berlusconi after the Supreme Court upheld his tax fraud conviction.

Berlusconi is appealing his ban to the European Court of Human Rights, arguing the anti-corruption law was approved by parliament after he was convicted in the original tax fraud case. Being retroactively convicted under the law is constitutional, Belusconi contends.