"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 as deputy prime minister. Alessandra Mussolini, who is running for Parliament in Mr Berlusconi's alliance, this week claimed that she would be given the job. The most recent polls found the right was trailing by up to 5 percentage points and suggested 24 per cent of Italian voters were still "don't knows".

But leading pollster Renato Mannheimer 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," Mr Mannheimer said. Alberto Mancinelli, a lecturer in communications at Trento School of Management, said he believed that 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.

GUARDIAN