The video of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi being assaulted while signing autographs to his fans has been an Internet sensation.

Berlusconi was today recovering in hospital with a fractured nose, 2 broken teeth and a lip injury a San Raffaele hospital after being attacked in yesterdays political rally.

The attack occurred when the leader was signing autographs and was greeting the crowd outside a cathedral.

Berlusconi who was dazed and fell on the floor was seen being put into a car but his injuries looked very distressing with a bloodied face and much distress in Mr Berlusconi’s face.

Berlusconi’s personal doctor, Alberto Zangrillo, said he would be kept under observation in for at least 24 hours and would need up to 15 days to recover.

The Italian prime minister asked to see the newspapers as soon as he woke up, the Italian ANSA news agency reported.

He told ANSA he was “fine” and considered it a “miracle” that he had not been hit in the eyes.

Massimo Tartaglia, a 42-year-old Milan resident with a history of mental illness, was detained by police and is being questioned, Italian media reports said.

Earlier in the evening, Berlusconi told a rally to mark the opening of public membership of the People of Freedom party, that his popularity rating stood at 63%.

Opinion polls have however been saying his popularity has sliped to 50% due to a year full of controversy with legal troubles newspaper headlines about his alleged involvement in sex scandals.