Italians asked yesterday whether a dramatic physical attack on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had been prompted by months of escalating political tension, insult hurling and a "climate of hatred" splitting their country.

Mr Berlusconi was hospitalised on Sunday with several broken teeth, a fractured nose and a scarred face after a man with a history of mental problems hurled a statuette at him as he was signing autographs at the end of a political rally.

Images of his bloodied and bruised face were shown on television networks around the world and splashed on the front pages of all Italian newspapers but the headlines and comments went well beyond the injuries, which were not life threatening.

A Time of Hate, was the headline used by La Nazione newspaper of Florence. The word "hate" was used in many headlines and by many commentators as Italy searched its soul over what happened to its controversial and divisive Premier.

"We have come to this. A climate of hate against Berlusconi has produced devastating effects," the conservative Rome newspaper Il Tempo said on its front page.

Even left-leaning commentators who have led anti-Berlusconi campaigns over his corruption trials and personal problems acknowledged the attack represented a symbol of political tensions that had boiled over dangerously.

"This clearly shows the degradation of the political clash in Italy," said Ezio Mauro, editor-in-chief of Rome's La Repubblica, a newspaper which has been sharply critical of the prime minister's governance.

L'Unita, newspaper of the largest opposition grouping, the Democratic Party, which has often demanded Mr Berlusconi's resignation, called the attack "madness".

But PD President Rosy Bindi was quoted as saying that Mr Berlusconi, who has often accused his opponents of being "communists" out to destroy him, was himself responsible for the tense climate and said Mr Berlusconi "should not play the victim".

Political sources said Mr Berlusconi's security procedures were under review since the assailant, Massimo Tartaglia, came close enough to have killed the prime minister if he had used a gun.

The last national political assassination in Italy was in 1978 when Red Brigades guerrillas killed former Prime Minister Aldo Moro in one of the country's most highly-charged periods.

Commentators said the Berlusconi incident could even raise political tensions further before they eventually simmered down.

"The assailant was crazy but we all know who those morally responsible are," said Il Giornale, a newspaper owned by the Berlusconi family. It said the attack was made possible by a climate where "Berlusconi has been called a dictator, a fascist, a tyrant, an absolute monarch to overthrow at any cost".

Mr Berlusconi allies strongly attacked Antonio Di Pietro, an ex magistrate who now heads a small opposition party, after he said the Prime Minister was "the instigator" of the attack against him because of his confrontational behaviour and insults. Stripped of immunity from prosecution last October, Mr Berlusconi faces several trials, including one on charges of bribery and corruption and another on charges of tax fraud.

An opinion poll published on Saturday indicated his popularity had fallen four percentage points to just over 50 per cent as Italians fretted that his legal entanglements could distract him from government duties.

At least one television commentator speculated that Mr Berlusconi's popularity was likely to rise by benefiting from a sympathy factor following the attack.

Mr Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing and says judicial allegations against him are part of a politically-motivated campaign by biased courts and judges to bring down his government.

Factbox

• Mr Berlusconi made his fortune during a property boom in Milan in the 1960s. He then moved into television and his family now owns the country's leading private TV network. His interests also include Italian soccer club AC Milan. Combining smooth talk with a common touch, he is one of Italy's richest men.

• Born in Milan in September 1936, Mr Berlusconi entered politics in January 1994 promoting a "you can be rich like me" message. He was elected Prime Minister and took office in May 1994 but survived in office for just eight months.

• Swept back to power by a landslide victory in 2001, Mr Berlusconi promised to revolutionise hidebound Italy. But change came slower than many hoped and he lost a parliamentary election in April 2006 by the narrowest margin in Italian history. He came back to power last year on a law and order platform.

• Mr Berlusconi has kept control of his media empire, laying himself open to accusations of a conflict between his political and business interests and leaving him vulnerable to numerous corruption investigations into him and his companies. He has never been convicted of any crime and faces the reopening of several trials against him after being stripped of immunity from prosecution.

• He has spent much of the year facing lurid scandals surrounding his private life, including allegations of an improper relationship with a teenage model, to parties with escorts. His wife asked for a divorce earlier this year, saying she could not stay with a man "who frequents minors".

• In late 2006 he was admitted to hospital with a minor heart problem after fainting. He underwent successful heart surgery in a US hospital in January 2007.

• In December 2004, a 28-year old bricklayer hurled a camera tripod at his head, causing a minor injury behind his right ear. The culprit first said he did it "because I hate him" but later wrote a letter to Mr Berlusconi saying he had acted in a moment of "deplorable euphoria."

Mr Berlusconi later said he forgave his attacker and invited him to visit him in Rome.