Editorial: More than mere mascots

We are once again witnessing an increase in politicians being invited into schools to launch initiatives or participate in student debates. The growing frequency of these encounters, coupled with politicians’ overt self-promotion, suggests that an electoral campaign is looming.

As social media feeds become saturated with selfies and reels of children interacting with political candidates, we should ask what children are really gaining from these visits.

Too often, the underlying political strategy seems simply to “catch them young”. Rather than engaging with youth on a substantive level, campaigns frequently exploit children as symbolic props to evoke emotional responses and project wholesome family values.

This strategy is hardly new. Throughout modern political history, politicians have carefully staged encounters with children to project warmth, relatability and moral authority. Photographs of candidates surrounded by schoolchildren or holding babies have long been a staple of campaign imagery across democracies.

Such scenes rarely emerge spontaneously; they are carefully orchestrated moments designed to signal trustworthiness and compassion without requiring substantive policy discussion.

The symbolism is powerful precisely because children evoke innocence, hope and the future.

By positioning themselves alongside children, politicians implicitly claim to represent and safeguard that future. Yet, this emotional appeal can easily become a shortcut that replaces genuine engagement with young people’s concerns.

Election billboards are routinely plastered with staged images of happy families, allowing politicians to market themselves as part of a relatable family dynamic. These calculated tactics rely heavily on classroom imagery, staged photo-ops with children and smiling toddlers to reinforce a candidate’s family credentials or policy priorities.

Ultimately, children are deployed in campaign imagery and rhetoric mainly to cue voters’ emotions rather than to represent the actual perspectives of the children themselves. Projecting an idealised image of childhood masks complex realities, turning young people into convenient stereotypes rather than acknowledging them as active members of society.

This superficial engagement raises ethical dilemmas about how politicians represent children’s voices and the appropriateness of using minors in campaigns. The children’s commissioner has cautioned that children’s voices should carry greater weight in policymaking, yet, they must not be used in electoral campaigns merely to draw voters’ sympathy.

The Children’s Rights Observatory Malta echoes this appeal and calls on political candidates to create inclusive and safe spaces for child representation.

Some of the schools that invited politicians to meet their students have defended this decision as an opportunity for healthy political debate. It is indeed commendable when schools encourage stronger civic participation and recognise students as active agents of democratic change.

Children are not merely passive symbols; they can influence adults and political debate. They should be encouraged to participate, form independent opinions and help shape political life. Given the right preparation and opportunities, children can hold structured views, articulate informed political positions and contribute meaningfully to democratic processes.

Yet, these encounters can easily be exploited by politicians who turn them into staged spectacles for cameras and social media. Why does everything need to become content and selfies?

To truly benefit the younger generation, we must create genuine opportunities for dialogue. Children should learn about our political history, our electoral system and the responsibilities that accompany voting. With preparation, they can research issues, challenge politicians and ask uncomfortable questions about how political decisions affect their lives.

Ultimately, we must genuinely listen to children and open a serious debate on whether stronger institutional mechanisms are needed to ensure their voices are heard without being reduced to campaign props.