Italy's Constitutional Court has ruled that a recent law giving Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution is illegitimate. The legislation was rushed through in June last year and protected the five most senior members of government while they are in office. It meant a corruption trial against Berlusconi had to be frozen. But the Court has now ruled the legislation breaks the constitutional principle of equality before the law. Centre-left leader Francesco Rutelli welcomed the developments: "It is a very positive day because our Constitutional Court showed the freedom, independence, ability to decide in a very very critical moment of our institutional democratic life." Berlusconi's supporters say he has been the victim of a witch-hunt by politically-motivated magistrates. Carlo Taormina, from the prime minister's Forza Italia Party, said: "Those who think that justice in the political sphere has been put to one side without making necessary reforms are making a mistake - and continue to make a mistake." When the immunity law came into force Berlusconi was on trial in Milan accused of bribing judges during a 1980s corporate takeover. After his case was suspended his former lawyer was convicted of using cash to keep a top judge friendly to their firm. Now the proceedings against Berlusconi are expected to restart. He has stood trial on eight occasions in the last decade on various charges of bribery and corruption, but has yet to receive a definitive guilty verdict. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. (Photo Vincent Kessler/Reuters)