'If not now, when?' A million furious Italian women protesters demand the head of Berlusconi over 'underage sex' scandal

Some protesters had even planned to throw their knickers into the garden of his home in Rome, but this never materialised.

Protests were held in Rome, Milan, Genoa, Naples and Bari but the largest was in Rome, where thousands packed into the Piazza del Popolo.

Demonstrators carried banners saying: ‘Berlusconi resign now’, while another read: ‘No prostitutes, no Madonnas, just women.’

Lawyer Giulia Bongiorno, a member of a party that broke away from Mr Berlusconi’s ruling coalition, said: ‘If you stay silent in situations like this then you become an accomplice. This is not a moralists’ rally as has been suggested but yes, he (Berlusconi) is scared of you.’

Mr Berlusconi, 74, is said to have paid for sex with Moroccan belly dancer Karima El Mahroug, then 17, at one of his infamous ‘bunga bunga’ parties last year.

Investigators also say the prime minister abused his position by having her freed from custody when she was arrested for theft.

Wiretaps leaked from the prosecution file suggest Mr Berlusconi surrounded himself at the parties with women hoping to use their looks to gain positions in politics or his Mediaset TV empire.

Iaia Caputo, of the committee which organised the ‘If Not Now, When?’ demonstrations, said: ‘The case has revealed a system of political selection based on an exchange of sex and power. If we accept this as normal, we risk prejudicing the free choice of women.’

Men were also encouraged to attend the rallies.