It’s no secret in Italy that the underdog candidate for prime minister, Walter Veltroni, likes Barack Obama — and likes him a lot.

Veltroni’s campaign motto “Si può fare” is a literal translation of Obama’s “Yes we can”, and his campaign mantra of change seems to take a page straight out of the Obama playbook. His party has sought to highlight their similarities, even quoting George Clooney saying Veltroni and Obama “are the most responsible people I have ever met”.

Veltroni acknowledges he’s looking to Obama for inspiration, and his supporters are increasingly looking across the Atlantic as well.

One good example is the music video that Veltroni’s celebrity fans put together that they acknowledge was modelled after the one that Black Eyed Peas did for Obama with the help of Scarlett Johansson.

What does Veltroni’s rival have to say about this? Silvio Berlusconi, a conservative media mogul who is ahead in the polls, has pounced on Veltroni, calling him an Obama-wanna be. Berlusconi also has criticised Obama for taking sides in the U.S. election, asking what will Veltroni do should Hillary Clinton or John McCain become the next president.