Silvio Berlusconi, the media tycoon and former Italian prime minister, has died aged 86.

He died at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, according to reports. Earlier this year, Berlusconi was treated for a lung infection linked to a case of chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia.

Berlusconi first came to office in 1994 and led four governments until 2011. He led the centre-right Forza Italia party which went into coalition under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following elections in September, when he was elected to Italy’s Senate.

Berlusconi began his career selling vacuum cleaners, before setting up a construction company. He went on to become one of Italy’s richest men, making his millions through cable TV and later founding Mediaset, the country’s largest commercial broadcaster.

He gained international recognition as the owner of Italian football club AC Milan – which he saved from bankruptcy in 1986 – before going into politics.

His son, Pier Silvio Berlusconi, is the current CEO of Mediaset (now called MFE – MediaFourEurope) having taken on the role in April 2015.