Silvio Berlusconi’s wife has condemned her husband’s plan to field an array of female television celebrities and a former beauty queen as candidates in June’s European elections, branding it “shameless rubbish to entertain the Emperor”.

Veronica Lario, herself a former actress, said that the Prime Minister had shown a “lack of discretion in his exercise of power which offends the credibility of all women”.

Last week Mr Berlusconi held a meeting of his ruling centre-right Popolo della Liberta (PdL) party to vet candidates for the European elections. They included a TV starlet, a former beauty queen and a former Big Brother contestant. “I want it to be quite clear that my children and I are victims and not accomplices in this situation,” Ms Lario said. “We have to endure it, and it makes us suffer.”

Mr Berlusconi responded that his wife, with whom he has had three children, was the victim of “manipulation by the Left”, which had spread unfounded reports about his advancement of women from the world of showbusiness. He claimed that his party was picking women candidates because “we want to renew our political class with people who are cultivated and well prepared” — unlike the “malodorous and badly dressed people who represent certain parties in Parliament”.

Ms Lario, 52, has publicly criticised her husband before during their 19-year marriage, which is Mr Berlusconi’s second. Two years ago she wrote an open letter to her husband demanding an apology after he was overheard telling Mara Carfagna, a former topless model and variety show presenter, that if he were single he would marry her straight away.

Mr Berlusconi duly apologised but fielded Ms Carfagna as a candidate for his centre-right alliance in last year’s national elections, and made her Minister for Equal Opportunities when it won.

The Italian media was buzzing with speculation about the timing of Ms Lario’s latest attack. On Sunday Mr Berlusconi attended the 18th birthday party of Noemi Letizia, a woman with whose family the Prime Minister is friendly. Her mother, Anna, runs a perfume shop in Naples.

Ms Letizia said that the Prime Minister was “a family friend. He’s known me since I was very, very small. He loves me like a daughter.” Mr Berlusconi had given her a gold and diamond pendant for her birthday and a CD of songs he has recorded.

Ms Lario told an Italian news agency that her husband’s decision to attend the celebration was uncharacteristic. “It surprised many people, including me, mainly because he has never attended the 18th birthdays of any of his children even though he was always invited.” Mr Berlusconi said that he had telephoned to say he would be in Naples and was invited to the party at short notice.

Ms Lario’s marriage to the Prime Minister is unconventional. She is rarely seen with him, maintains a villa of her own near Milan, and takes separate holidays. She has denied rumours that they are to divorce.

Mr Berlusconi said that the row over the MEP candidates was overblown and the idea for putting the women on the list came from the party and he “had nothing to do with it”.

After the row the party announced yesterday that Barbara Matera, an actress, TV announcer and former Miss Italy contestant, was the only one of what the Italian press have dubbed “showgirls” to have made the final candidates’ list.

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