Berlusconi says the new casual look he has adopted for this election was not dictated by a style advisor.

Instead the open-necked shirts are all about safety, he told Il Giornale daily.

“The enthusiasm of the crowd is overwhelming. They greet me like a rock star. You know why I decided to stop wearing a tie?

“Because one day I almost got hurt. The enthusiasm around me became so great that they accidentally grabbed me by the tie.”

After being dragged along by overly-affectionate supporters, Berlusconi decided: “I need to dress differently when I’m in the piazza, I need to be comfortable, like when I’m at home.”

The image conscious Berlusconi, who has admitted the odd nip-and-tuck and hair implants, makes his own style decisions, he says. “I obviously do not have an image consultant … I decide what I wear.”

Veltroni can sometimes be spotted on the campaign trail without a tie. He has yet to say whether that is for safety reasons or style.