In a full-page article in Italy’s main dailies, Diego Della Valle, the head of luxury shoe maker Tod’s , said politicians’ focus on personal and party interests was damaging Italy’s reputation in the world and taking it toward ruin. “Wake up to the fact that many Italians no longer have any esteem or confidence in many of you and do not want to be represented by a political class which, with a few exceptions, has cut itself off from reality and people’s needs,” he said. The insertion, entitled in block capitals “Politicians, enough is enough,” made no distinction along party lines.

Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right government is under increasing pressure over its tentative and erratic response to the financial crisis threatening the euro zone.

Berlusconi, himself struggling with four separate trials on charges of corruption and paying for sex with a minor, has seen his approval ratings sink as infighting and policy disagreements plague his coalition.

On Friday, the head of Italy’s main business federation Confindustria threatened to walk out of roundtable talks with the government if there is no swift action to stimulate growth and reform taxes, pensions and public spending. Last Monday, the head of the Italian Bishops Conference launched a devastating attack on the scandal-ridden political elite, calling for a change to “purify the air.”

Della Valle, a symbol of the country’s Made in Italy business brands, has a reputation for straight talking — earlier this year he described veteran banker Cesare Geronzi, then chairman of Assicurazioni Generali , as typical of the “sprightly old men” who call the shots in Italian business.