Berlusconi Accused of Hitting New Low After 'dickheads' Jibe

Silvio Berlusconi was accused yesterday of dragging Italy's already raucous general election campaign into the gutter when he declared that those who voted against him would be "dickheads".

Speaking to journalists about the expected outcome of the election next Sunday and Monday, the Prime Minister said: "I have too much respect for the Italians to think there are that many dickheads around who'd vote against their own interests."

The centre-left opposition reacted with condemnation. "Berlusconi has confirmed himself to be an uncouth and vulgar man," the opposition bloc said in a statement. "By using these ignoble and violent words, Berlusconi has thrown off the mask and shown himself for what he is: a person who uses the media like a thug and who lacks any respect for democracy, for institutions and for Italians."

The latest of many outrageous remarks during the campaign came the day after he promised to wipe out council taxes for first homes, during a bitterly contested television duel with his rival, Romano Prodi. Mr Berlusconi also undertook to slash a levy on current account interest and, in a bid for female voters, promised to put more women in his next government, including a woman deputy Prime Minister.

Alessandra Mussolini, who is running for parliament in Mr Berlusconi's alliance, claimed yesterday that she would be given the post.

The most recent polls found the right was trailing by up to five percentage points and suggested some 24% of Italian voters were still "don't knows".

But Renato Mannheimer, a leading pollster, said: "There are actually very few people who are undecided about who to vote for. The issue is whether they vote or not."

He said Mr Berlusconi was seeking to mobilise those who, if they could be persuaded to cast their vote, would cast it for him. "And with this sort of remark he could perhaps manage it," he said.

Alberto Mancinelli, a lecturer in communications at Trento School of Management, said he believed Mr Berlusconi's language - the key word was "coglioni", which literally translates as "testicles" - might rebound on him. "It is so strong he could lose points as a result," Dr Mancinelli said.

Mr Berlusconi's outrageous comments during the campaign have ensured he remains the centre of attention. This week, a Milan newspaper reported that he had told a party meeting about a straw poll of sex chat lines he had conducted during a sleepless night. "Seven out of nine of the young ladies who answered acknowledged they preferred me [to Mr Prodi]," he was quoted as telling his followers.

Earlier in the campaign, he compared himself to Napoleon and then to Jesus. He later walked out of a TV interview when the questioning became too insistent.

The opposition yesterday brought concentrated fire to bear on Mr Berlusconi's council tax pledge. Antonio Di Pietro, a former anti-corruption prosecutor and centre-left politician, said the prime minister was "desperately trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat".

Mr Berlusconi dismissed opposition attacks, saying the €2.3bn (£1.6bn) the tax brought in was "small change". He added: "We can easily find other sources of revenue [to cover the shortfall]."

There appeared to be little chance the tone of the campaign would improve in the final straight. As he was leaving yesterday's event, a man shouted at him: "You've been telling us fairy tales for five years now. Nobody believes you any longer." Mr Berlusconi shot back: "I'm bright, whereas you, with that face..." The rest of his reply was lost as he entered his limousine.