Silvio Berlusconi's personal, political and legal problems are mounting, leading the Italian Prime Minister's media and political allies to speak of a plot against him and a risk of an early election.

“Berlusconi under siege,” was the headline in yesterday's edition of Il Giornale, the daily newspaper owned by Berlusconi's brother, above an article which promised to “reveal the plot” against him.

A trial against Berlusconi (above) on charges of false accounting and tax fraud resumed yesterday, after Italy's highest court lifted his immunity from prosecution last month, and another corruption trial is scheduled to resume on November 27.

Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing.