Italy's competition authority has launched an inquiry into PM Silvio Berlusconi over a possible conflict of interest regarding digital TV decoders.
It comes after Brussels launched a similar probe on Wednesday into the Italian state's payment of 200m euros (£137m) to subsidise the set-top boxes.
Investigators will decide whether the subsidies unfairly aid Mr Berlusconi's television company, Mediaset.
The prime minister has faced a number of corruption accusations in the past.
"The probe regards the prime minister... and aims to clarify whether there was a conflict of interest with regard to the funding set aside in the budget for the purchase of decoders," Italy's competition authority said in a statement.
Mr Berlusconi's office declined to comment.
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