Political parties should stop using children to relay their political messages, the President has appealed.

Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca said children want their voices heard, but in reality their opinion is hardly hard during an electoral campaign.

She cited the message relayed by the Children and Youth Council, facilitated by the President's Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society:

"Children said: don't use our faces, use our minds. If you want to use our faces, use our minds, listen to our voice. We are being used in electoral campaigns without being given the right to express ourselves."

The President said the message clearly tells politicians that children should not be used to relay any political messages.

The Office of the Commissioner for Children is monitoring the electoral campaign to ensure children used in campaign posters are not identifiable.