Milan, March 15 - Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi will stay in hospital for a few more days after suffering from an eye infection and "continuing hypertension", his doctor said.

Berlusconi was admitted last week at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan.

He will possibly stay at the hospital until the weekend, his doctor Alberto Zangrillo said.

Despite his health problems, Berlusconi presided over a meeting of his People of Freedom Party at the hospital Thursday, after last month's election produced a hung parliament.

The new parliament is due to sit for the first time Friday and begin electing presidents for the lower house and the Senate.

Berlusconi is on trial in Milan on charges of paying for sex with an underage dancer, Moroccan-born Karima El Mahroug, and abuse of office to try and cover up the liaison.

The trial has been postponed until he is well enough to attend. The next hearing is due March 18 and a sentence is expected March 25. (IANS)