Italy's Constitutional Court is due to give a ruling on whether the Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, can be tried on corruption and fraud charges.
Judges have to decide if legislation giving him temporary immunity from prosecution breaches the principle that all citizens are equal before the law.
Mr Berlusconi is a defendant in two trials, but they have in effect been suspended because of the law.
He has denied any wrongdoing and said he is indifferent to Thursday's ruling.
"It really does not matter to me whether these trials are stopped or not," he told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday. "I find the case laughable". BBC News
