Berlusconi's party says his removal from parliament is 'unthinkable'

Silvio Berlusconi's center-right party said on Saturday that removing the former prime minister from parliament over a tax fraud conviction would be unacceptable and "unthinkable", escalating its row with center-left coalition allies.

Angelino Alfano, secretary of Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PDL) warned Prime Minister Enrico Letta this week that the party could bring down the government if the center-left Democratic Party (PD) voted to throw Berlusconi out, something PD members have repeatedly said they will do. (Reuters)