Silvio Berlusconi Ambushed By Topless FEMEN Activists During Italian Elections At Polls (PICTURES)

Legendary ladies man Silvio Berlusconi was on the receiving end of a topless ambush as he arrived at a polling station in Milan on Sunday to vote in Italy's general elections.

Three members of feminist protest group FEMEN, with the words "Basta Berlusconi" ("Enough with Berlusconi") scrawled on their naked torsos broke through a line of journalists and lunged for Berlusconi, AFP reported.

The women were detained by police before they were able to reach the former Prime Minister, who is leading a centre-right coalition in the election.

A member of FEMEN is bundled away by police

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi casts his vote in Milan

The polls are set to close at 3pm on Monday, with the pro-European, centre-left Democratic Party the favourite to win.

FEMEN claimed the "sextremists" suffered minor injuries and a Facebook post insisted the protest would have a positive impact on the outcome of the election.

It added: "Italy, do not vote for a man who should be in prison! FEMEN believe that the calls of 'Basta, Berlusconi!' have been heard and will have a positive impact on the outcome of the Italian election. Italy, do not vote for a man who should be in prison!"

FEMEN has updated its Facebook profile with the above banner

The group has protested in support of Russian punk band Pussy Riot, holding aloft signs saying 'f**k Putin' and 'Free Pussy Riot'.

Earlier this month a handful of FEMEN members stormed Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral to celebrate Pope Benedict XVI's decision to stand down.

FEMEN were founded in 2008 and their unique form of protest has since spread. The group held demonstrations in London protesting the Olympics' "support" for radical Islamist regimes.