Children’s Commissioner Pauline Miceli said that she is “uncomfortable” seeing politicians give out sweets and treats to children as part of their campaigning.

Replying to an email from independent election candidate Arnold Cassola, who asked whether it is normal practice and acceptable for “political candidates to go on the doorstep of primary schools and give sweets to children with their names on the bag so that they can pick up a vote from their parents”, Miceli said that she knows that this occurs and that she is not comfortable with it.

She said that this is why her office had undertaken an exercise in collaboration with the Standards Authority about the “use” of children in political propaganda and the media.

“These went through all the necessary processes, and all political parties agreed to them.  However unfortunately these regulations do not have the legal strength as we expect them to have,” she said.

Cassola’s complaint to the Children’s Commissioner was directed at Rosianne Cutajar, who shared a post on Facebook showing her giving out bags containing sweets and toothpaste to primary school children on the occasion of Halloween.

The red paper bags wished children a happy Halloween, and also had the former parliamentary secretary’s name on them.

The practice is generally known as treating (the irony, of this being done in Halloween – the period known for ‘trick or treat’, is not lost) is the act of giving out food, drinks, or other gifts in order to try and influence people for political gain.

Treating is banned through Malta’s General Election Act, and people found guilty are liable to a fine of up to €1,160 or a six-month prison sentence.

However, Standards Commissioner George Hyzler had ruled in a similar case – which also concerned Rosianne Cutajar, when she handed out oranges to residents of a care home – that laws on treating only come into force during or immediately after an electoral campaign.