Around 200,000 people watched an Italian television show broadcast via local channels and on the internet after national networks banned political programming ahead of regional elections.

The programme taking aim at Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, called Raiperunanotte (Rai for a night), was dedicated to freedom of expression one day ahead of elections in 13 of Italy's 20 regions.

It was also shown on giant screens erected in 200 Italian towns and cities, including Rome and Naples, Italian media reported.

The unconventional broadcast came after Rai public television suspended its political programming ahead of the elections, saying it did not want to be seen favouring any one party but sparking accusations of stifling political debate.

The evening was hosted by Michele Santoro, who normally hosts the AnnoZero political talk show. Media magnate Mr Berlusconi, 73, is currently under investigation for allegedly trying to gag it.

The show started with archive footage of former fascist dictator Benito Mussolini speaking, followed by images of a Berlusconi speech.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.