Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi has signed a law providing immunity from prosecution to Italy's top five leaders effectively halting a bribery trial against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The billionaire businessman is charged with bribing judges to sway a decision in a contested corporate takeover battle in the mid-1980s, nearly a decade before he entered politics. He denies the charges.
With Mr Ciampi's signature on the bill, which was rushed through parliament at record speed, Mr Berlusconi is saved from the potential embarrassment of a verdict arriving during Italy's EU presidency, which starts on July 1st.
But the law - which was actually first proposed by the left and brings Italy into line with France and other EU nations - has sparked anger among commentators at home and abroad, who have branded it an abuse of power.
The law gives legal immunity to those holding the five highest offices of state and suspends any court cases under way.
Mr Berlusconi is the only one of the five on trial and will be immune at least until his current term ends in 2006 - barring any government collapse - and longer if he is re-elected.
"It brings Italy into line with other European countries," Mr Berlusconi told reporters yesterday at the EU summit in Greece.
He added that while some people were working to raise Italy's prestige on the world stage, others were constantly trying to discredit the country.