There is one thing pro- and anti-divorce campaigners finally agree on: that politicians should stay out of the debate because they have already “messed up” the process.

This was perhaps reflected yesterday in a debate on the divorce referendum organised by AŻAD, the centre for political studies.

There were no new arguments and the session was attended by more journalists than members of the public – a sign that people may have already tired of being bombarded on the subject.

Though the Church’s influence was not raised during the debate, pro-divorce movement representative Martin Scicluna yesterday said it was adding to the climate of fear and plying medieval pressure.

“I respect the Church’s doctrine, but my sense over the last few weeks is that the Archbishop, and more so the Gozo Bishop, are taking a much more threatening and incisive approach towards divorce,” he told The Sunday Times .

“It is most worrying to see, for example, how the Church has brought children into the argument through a pastoral letter urging them to make sure their parents follow the words of Christ,” Mr Scicluna said.

He referred to the Archbishop’s remarks last year when he had said the Church would not be launching any crusade against divorce, but intended to take an active part in the discussion. The Church, Mr Scicluna said, should stop there.

Reacting to the same question, Austin Bencini, from the anti-divorce movement, said the Church was a component of Maltese society and therefore had a right to air its views.

“I think on the whole, the Church has left the Christian conscience open and did not impose anything. It would be a loss and an impoverishment of the debate if any sector of society, whether secular or religious, were stopped from contributing to the argument in a conscientious way,” Dr Bencini said.

He added that politicians had gone far beyond the limit in polarising the issue, but no spiritual movement was responsible for an attitude of us and them.

Deborah Schembri for the pro-divorce movement and Joyce Cassar for the anti-divorce movement also took part in the debate, which exceeded its scheduled hour time-limit by 90 minutes.

The divorce referendum is due to be held on May 28.