Prosecutors seek sex trial for Berlusconi
Their application, which means the prosecutors believe they have enough evidence in the case to skip a preliminary hearing, will add to the pressure on the 74-year-old premier, whose center-right government is hanging on to power by a thread.
The move, announced in a dry statement by prosecutors issued as Berlusconi was in Rome outlining a plan to revive Italy's chronically sluggish economy, is likely to be only one stage in a potentially long legal battle.
Milan prosecutors say Berlusconi paid for sex with a "significant number" of young women, including Moroccan nightclub dancer Karima El Mahroug when she was under 18, the minimum age at which it is legal to be a prostitute in Italy.
They also say he later exerted improper pressure on officials to have El Mahroug, known by her stage name "Ruby," released from a Milan police station after she was detained on separate theft allegations.
Following the request, a judge has five days to decide, although the deadline could be extended by a few days. If the judge agrees to the request, the trial could begin within a couple of months.
Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing and says he has never paid for sex. He says politically motivated leftist prosecutors are hounding him and trying to destroy his career, and he has refused to be questioned so far in the Ruby investigation.
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