By Deepa Babington
ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Saturday pledged sweeping reforms to overhaul the justice system, stepping up an offensive against the judiciary days after being ordered to trial in a prostitution case.
The 74-year-old media mogul, left reeling politically after a series of legal setbacks and scandals, has long accused "communist" magistrates of pursuing him on false charges.
Critics say the reforms are tailor-made to protect the prime minister, who is due to face trial in three embezzlement and fraud cases in the coming months in addition to the sex trial.
"I've worked to avoid having the will of the left prevail through judicial weapons," Berlusconi told a party conference via telephone, repeating his frequent lament that he is the "most persecuted man in the history of the justice system."
The comments are the latest indication that Berlusconi plans to come out fighting after being ordered to stand trial on charges that he paid for sex with a 17-year-old Moroccan dancer nicknamed Ruby Heartstealer.
He is also accused of abusing his position by putting pressure on police to release her when she was detained for theft last year. Berlusconi denies the charges.
The tycoon, already severely weakened by a split last year with former ally Gianfranco Fini that had raised the prospect of early elections, had previously said he was not worried by the case and expected to see out his term.
"We have to resist, continue to govern and do it with serenity but most of all, we have to focus on doing these reforms," he said, promising an extraordinary cabinet meeting within days to approve the measures.
"If needed, there will be a referendum, because I believe that all Italians want a fair judiciary."
A key target of the reforms will be the constitutional court, which last month struck down core parts of a law granting Berlusconi automatic immunity from prosecution.
Under Berlusconi's proposed reform, a two-thirds majority on the 15-member court will be required to repeal a law.
"This is to avoid a repeat of the situation we see today when parliament discusses a law and approves it. Then leftist magistrates, if they don't like it, take it before the constitutional court, made up of mainly judges from the left, which then repeals laws that are just and very just," the prime minister said.
Opposition lawmakers said Berlusconi's planned reform was a sign of "desperation" and "irresponsibility."
(Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
