Malta's political leaders are taking part in a political debate at the University of Malta as the country edges closer to the 30 May election.

It is the first time that Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition leader Alex Borg are crossing swords, but the leaders of other smaller political parties are also taking part.

Sandra Gauci, for ADPD, Arnold Cassola, for Momentum, and Paul Salomone, for Ahwa Maltin, are also taking part. 

You can watch the debate in the live link below.

The debate has started.

Labour leader Robert Abela began his opening statement by recalling a trip to the UN headquarters he had shared with the moderator Chloe Cauchi the previous September. Abela shared stories of young people who achieved their dreams through government support, emphasising that the Labour Party's manifesto is designed to build on these successes and remains deeply focused on the aspirations of the people.

PN MP Alex Borg opened his remarks noting that the debate was originally expected to take place next year. Borg welcomed the early election as a chance to introduce the Nationalist Party's policies a year ahead of schedule, drawing a mix of cheers and jeers from the audience. He spoke about the party's intentions to increase University stipends and assist young people in their quest for a better life.

Gauci said she is the only woman leader in the group, hoping that she is opening the way for others. Cassola said that the main parties are offering "unsustainable" goodies in their proposals, while Salomone said young Maltese people should be raised to spend their future in the country that brought them up.

Gauci addressed a question from the Malta University Debating Union regarding future educational reforms, calling for a major overhaul of the national school system. Drawing on her experience as a teacher, Gauci argued that the University of Malta should no longer oversee the MATSEC examinations board, pointing out that students are under constant stress from the heavy burden of exams and assignments. To support student well-being, she urged the introduction of qualified Learning Support Educators to meet diverse needs and advocated for flexible working arrangements to help young people achieve a healthier work-life balance. 

Salomone discussed the heavy challenges young people face outside the educational system. While acknowledging the academic hardships students experience, Salomone argued that their real-world struggles are far more severe. He expressed concern that Maltese youth are being forced to compete against low-wage foreign workers, blaming what he described as slave-trade usurpers for undermining local opportunities, and stated that his party aims to better equip the younger generation to navigate these harsh realities. 

Prime Minister Robert Abela emphasised education as the primary tool for achieving personal goals, highlighting several Labour Party manifesto proposals focused on mental health, sports, and nutritional education. Abela reassured the audience that his government would continue investing in higher stipends and urged students to commit to lifelong learning and hard work. 

Alex Borg says it's a good thing the PN's manifesto is still unpublished, otherwise Abela would be copying it. Labour first criticises PN proposals, but then takes them on board. He urges the students to vote, not jeer, for a better Malta with a Nationalist government.

Abela then speaks of his government's credentials for the environment, such as the return of Manoel Island and White Rocks to the public, which drew criticism from both Gauci and Cassola who sais that the Labour government cannot be trusted when it comes to the environment.

Abela spoke of the government's plans for a third interconnector with Sicily, and has also taken a jab at the PN for its plans for a "petrol station in the middle sea", with Borg replying that the project will bring millions to the country's enconomy, while listing green projects which the government did not implement - such as the conversion of St Anne Street in Floriana as a pedestrian area.

Borg said that a PN government will not squander 400 million euros for hospital services that never materialised. He sarcastically asked students how many of them had used the underground system to go to University, given that this was another promises made by Labour which did not come to be.

Abela retaliated with how the government has worked to improve the economy, bringing the deficit down to less than 3% and the deficit from the 70% registered under a Nationalist government to the 46% under Labour. He said that the PN had been confusing in its economic proposals, giving different figures for the same projects.

Gauci wants a stop to phantom jobs, insisting Malta cannot keep bending over backward to appease the construction industry. Cassola accused the government of trying to buy people's votes with government jobs, specifically mentioning Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri. Cassola said Momentum wants ministerial asset declarations to be publicly available, and this must include their partners. It can't be that a politician's "three-storey hotel" is hidden under the wife's name, he said.

Gauci drew a deeply personal parallel to her political mission. She said that while her father and Prime Minister Robert Abela's father attended the same school, one went on to become president while her own father became a street cleaner. If elected, she promised to honour his legacy by thoroughly cleaning up Maltese politics and parliament.

She said that ADPD has always shown ambition and courage when facing Malta's biggest challenges. Gauci stated that she is neither intimidated nor tempted by wealth, declaring that people with money should never be allowed to bulldoze over the general public. 

Addressing the critical issue of traffic, Borg criticized the government for failing to act despite extensive billboard campaigns, promising that his party would fix a problem created entirely by the current administration.

The debate shifted to judicial and administrative appointments when a student asked the leaders about the vacant Chief Justice role. Borg began by calling it a shame that Robert Abela appears to value financial interests over judicial independence, citing a letter by Judge Mintoff. Borg expressed readiness to discuss both this vacancy and the empty Auditor General role. In response, Abela criticized Borg for attempting to negotiate these appointments during an active electoral campaign. Reflecting on past discussions with former Opposition Leader Adrian Delia, Abela remained optimistic that the two sides could eventually find a consensus.

When questioned about controversial planning legislation, Abela argued that progress has already been made toward finding a middle ground on the planning bills that expired with the end of the legislature and pledged to continue seeking convergence on the issue.