On July 30th former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi will appear before Italy’s highest court for his final appeal on tax fraud charges. The hearing at the Court of Cassation was moved forward to prevent the case from expiring due to the statute of limitations. In May, an appeals court upheld his conviction. It also reinstated a four-year jail term and five-year ban from public office. An exit from public office could create new difficulties for Italy’s fragile political coalition. Luigi Zingales, a professor of entrepreneurship and finance at the University of Chicago, tells us whether Berlusconi could actually face jail time and explains how the ongoing case has affected the current government. (Photo: AP Images).