The leaders of the four political parties running for the general election were yesterday cheered and booed during a debate at the university, with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi turning out to be the most popular among the students present.

The rowdy debate, which was organised by university media organisation Insite, was characterised by chants and cheers and at times seemed biased in favour of the Nationalist Party.

Many described the debate as the most amusing event of the electoral campaign so far, while students were heard saying it was "...a PN mass meeting attended by Labourites".

The leaders were asked questions by journalists Karl Schembri and Josanne Cassar and had 10 minutes to reply to four rounds of questions. As the leaders were speaking, their timers were ticking away on a screen behind them.

Before the event began, the students were already chanting "Nazzjonalisti, Nazzjonalisti" and "Gonzi, Gonzi", sparked off by a brief appearance of PN secretary general Joe Saliba.

MLP secretary general Jason Micallef was also present as were several candidates of all four political parties.

The leaders replied to a number of questions on a wide array of subjects. Labour leader Alfred Sant and Dr Gonzi both promised to retain the stipend system, and to increase the assistance given to students.

Asked whether the MLP was credible, Dr Sant said Dr Gonzi's government was not credible, especially when a number of promises, including that of a breast screening programme, had not yet been put into effect.

On this, Dr Gonzi said the programme will start soon when Zammit Clapp Hospital, currently a rehabilitation centre, is transformed into a state-of-the-art specialised hospital for cancer patients.

Replying to a question about Labour's electoral proposals which have already been implemented under a Nationalist government, Dr Sant said the Labour Party manifesto was based on more than three years of meetings and a synopsis on the party's position papers.

At one point, Dr Sant was asked about his interpretation of the 2003 EU referendum which, he had insisted, was won by the "No" camp.

Instead of replying, Dr Sant asked Mr Schembri why he had not asked him about corruption in Dr Gonzi's government. As he went on to speak about corruption, students started shouting "Irrispondi, Irrispondi" (Answer the question).

He eventually replied that a Labour government would respect election results.

Replying to another question on whether he does whatever came to his mind, Dr Sant quipped "Who does what comes to his mind?" to which the students replied with a resounding "You". Dr Sant reacted with a smirk.

As the timer continued to tick, Dr Sant was fielding a question about the reception class proposal by the Labour Party when the students all of a sudden chanted: "Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one..."

Instead of mentioning the zero, the students cried: "Gonzi, Gonzi", much to the disillusionment of the MLP student supporters at the debate.

The leaders of the two main parties spoke about various other subjects which included tax cuts, the environment, education and the reform at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

Replying to one of the questions, Dr Gonzi said his party was committed to enacting a Whistleblower Act.

The interventions of the other party leaders - Harry Vassallo and Josie Muscat - did not win them much applause except from their own candidates.

Dr Vassallo spoke about Alternattiva Demokratika's proposal to utilise the 53,000 vacant dwellings in Malta and Gozo and about AD's will to work in a coalition.

He rebutted claims that AD was attracting votes from disgruntled Nationalists and Labourites, saying it was obvious that AD criticises the PN once it had been in office for so long.

Dr Muscat, leader of Azzjoni Nazzjonali, insisted that his party was not against illegal migrants but against the number of migrants landing on these shores, which, he insisted, the island could not handle.

He accused the media of distorting AN's ideas, even with regard to his party's billboard in Balzan which had declared that AN would close the open centre there.

AN was proposing a burden-sharing agreement with the EU under which illegal immigrants would be sent to other EU member states.

Following the debate, Dr Sant was whisked away from a side entrance and went to the Agenda Bookshop to buy books.

Dr Gonzi, who was given a standing ovation, walked out of the auditorium greeting students on the way.