Berlusconi aides vow after his death to reinvigorate political party he created, fight his battles

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — The top official in former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia party has vowed to reinvigorate the political party created by the late media mogul. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the party’s coordinator, says he and other party stalwarts loyal to the former premier will keep waging Berlusconi’s battles for lower taxes, higher pensions and reform of the justice system that he contended was biased against him. Tajani says Forza Italia will hold rallies to attract new members timed for Berlusconi’s birthday in September, when he would have turned 87. Berlusconi died Monday in a Milan hospital where he was being treated for leukemia.