Protest on against Silvio Berlusconi.

In Rome, public service employees, families, school pupils and students took part in the demonstration organised by trade union CGIL under the motto: “Without the public (sector) you’re deprived of your rights.”

The protests targeted the public sector job cuts that are part of austerity measures worth a total of 90 billion euros ($A124.74 billion), aimed at balancing the Italian budget by 2013.

Trade union representatives warned that a total of 300,000 jobs could end up being cut in the five-year period leading to 2013.

However, demonstrators also criticised scandal-ridden Berlusconi.

“The international financial markets reject bunga bunga,” read one placard, in reference to sex parties that allegedly took place at the premier’s house.

The protests came a day after rating agency Fitch downgraded Italy’s creditworthiness to A+, following similar moves by agencies Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s.

In Milan, the protest was joined by author Roberto Saviano, who won international acclaim for his book Gomorrah, about the Neapolitan Mafia.

Meanwhile, Italian author Umberto Eco issued a rallying call in a statement published by the organisers of the Milan march.

“In this appalling decline of Italian political life, let’s give voice to a civil society that is still sane, so that it will also be understood abroad that we are the true Italy,”