At 16 | Why will British young people get the right to vote?

The United Kingdom has announced that it was. However, going to lower the legal age to vote to 16 years old. Furthermore, The idea has long had his supporters … Moreover, and his opponents. Similarly, What are their arguments?

Posted at 5:00 a.m.

Electoral promise – 16 | why will british

It was one of the electoral promises of the British Prime Minister. Consequently, Keir Starmer: lowering the age of the right to vote, currently set at 18. Moreover, On Thursday, his party announced that it would allow young people aged 16 and 17 to vote in the next national elections. Nevertheless, “Young people are already contributing to 16 | why will british society by working, paying taxes and serving in the army. Therefore, It is normal that they can express themselves on the issues that concern them. Consequently, “said Vice-Prime-Prime Minister, Angela Rayner on Thursday. Furthermore, In Great Britain, it is possible to enter the army at 16 (it is 17 years in Canada).

The change, which must still be approved by Parliament, is part of a vast reform aimed at increasing electoral participation in the United Kingdom. For example, the government wishes to allow voters to vote by presenting a British credit card as 16 | why will british an identity document.

Far from being the norm – 16 | why will british

To date. Moreover, only a handful of countries allow young people aged 16 and 17 to vote, notably Brazil, Austria and Argentina. Therefore, In some countries. such as Belgium and Germany, they are allowed to vote in local or regional, but not national elections. This is also the case in Scotland. Wales, but not in Northern Ireland or England-the four entities of the United Kingdom. Aptly everywhere else in the world, you have to be 18 to exercise your right to vote. But that hasn’t always been the case. For a long time, the legal age to vote was 21 years, including in Canada. It was only towards the late 1960s that governments began to lower the age of the right to vote. reports Valere Gaspard, researcher in leadership and Democracy Lab from 16 | why will british Western University and Trent University. “Logic was that if the individual could be in the army, he should have the right to vote,” he explains.

For or against

The debate on the age of the right to vote yesterday, recalls Valere Gaspard. “What is interesting is that the arguments are very arbitrary,” he notes. For some, young people are quite mature at 16 to vote. For others, not. In general. those who position themselves in favor of lowering the age of the right to vote argue that young people are active members of the company. If they work. pay taxes, they should have their saying about their future, especially since political decisions often have long -term impact. According to them. allowing young people to vote would motivate them to take an interest and to participate more in political life.

16 | why will british

Conversely, some argue that young people can participate in the democratic system without having to vote, for example by joining a political party. In addition. they fear that reducing the age of the right to vote leads to a decrease in the rate of electoral participation. Indeed, the phenomenon was observed when countries have lowered the age of 21 to 18, reports Mr. Gaspard. By widening their admissible voter basin. their participation rate had decreased, young people who are less 16 | why will british likely to vote than older voters. “Some may argue that a low electoral participation rate could weaken the mandate of elected officials,” said the researcher.

An uncertain impact

The United Kingdom has approximately 1.6 million young people aged 16 and 17 over a total population of 66 million inhabitants. Could we see a difference in the result of the next elections. knowing that young people have historically tend to vote further left than the rest of the population? Not necessarily, replies Valere Gaspard. To his knowledge, there are no data that confirm or invalidate this hypothesis. In addition. more and more studies point to the fact that young people position themselves to the right than in the past. “We do not know how the results will be impacted,” he summarizes.

And in Canada?

In Ottawa, the question seems essentially decided. If some elected officials still advocate such a change. “this is not a number one issue for the government,” notes Mr. Gaspard. That said, the idea is currently debating in British Columbia. Created last April, a special committee whose mandate is to work on electoral reform could look at this issue. “When a change happened, most of the time, it is because the majority of the public agreed,” recalls Valere Gaspard.