The trial in which Silvio Berlusconi is charged with paying for sex with an underage go-go dancer and abusing his powers as prime minister opened Wednesday in Milan, DPA reported.Berlusconi was not planning to attend the hearing, his aides said earlier this week.
More than 150 local and international reporters have been accredited to attend the proceedings, which have drawn massive media attention both in Italy and abroad. No television cameras were to be allowed in the courtroom.
The premier's lawyers could request that magistrates dealing with the case be disqualified on the grounds that it is not within their jurisdiction, Italian media reports said.
Prosecutors accuse the 74-year-old premier of paying Moroccan go-go dancer Karima El Mahroug for sex at his home near Milan in 2010 when she was 17 years old - a minor in terms of laws governing prostitution in Italy.
The evidence which is expected to be presented during the course of the trial includes wire-tap recordings allegedly proving how women were procured for sex parties at Berlusconi's villa.
The abuse the powers charges stem from Berlusconi's intervention on El Mahroug's behalf when she was briefly held by police on suspicion of theft - a move allegedly aimed at covering up his liaison with her.
The premier has denied having sex with El Mahroug and has said he was acting in "good faith" when he claimed to police that she was former Egyptian president Hosny Mubarak's niece and that they should release her to avoid a diplomatic incident.
Berlusconi's lawyers have named among 78 proposed witnesses, among them Hollywood star George Clooney and his girlfriend, the Italian showgirl Elisabetta Canalis, who were allegedly guests at one of the premier's parties. Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo also appears on the list.
If convicted Berlusconi, faces up to 15 years in prison.
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