London - Saba:
The United Kingdom announced on Thursday evening plans to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 in all elections across the country — a move that has sparked widespread debate over whether young people at that age should have the right to vote.
The initiative aims to boost participation and trust in the democratic system, following the 2024 general election which recorded the lowest voter turnout since 2001.
The measure is expected to unify voting rights across the UK: currently, 16-year-olds are allowed to vote in local elections in Scotland and Wales, but not in UK parliamentary elections.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer told ITV News in an interview: “If they are old enough to work and pay taxes, then they should also be able to influence how that money is used and where the government should invest.”
In most countries around the world, the voting age remains at 18. However, during last year’s European Parliament elections, EU countries were given the option to allow voting from age 16 — a policy adopted by Germany, Belgium, Austria, and Malta.
The UK’s proposal still requires approval by Parliament, but it is expected to pass, as it was part of the Labour Party’s campaign platform in the recent election, in which Starmer won a strong majority.
Despite the landslide victory, Starmer’s popularity has sharply declined since taking office, partly due to a series of economic missteps. His party currently ranks second in opinion polls, trailing behind the right-wing Reform UK party led by Nigel Farage.
According to official figures, there are approximately 1.6 million young people aged 16 to 17 in the UK. In the last election, over 48 million citizens were eligible to vote. The next election is scheduled for 2029.
The Conservative Party, now the second-largest party in Parliament after losing power last year, has criticized the proposal as inconsistent — noting that while 16-year-olds would be allowed to vote, they would still be unable to “buy a lottery ticket, get married, or join the army.”
A research study cited in a briefing from the UK Parliament Library found that lowering the voting age in other countries had no significant impact on election outcomes.
Anthony Wells, Head of European Political and Social Research at polling firm YouGov, commented that the expected impact of this move is minimal “for simple mathematical reasons.”
In addition, the government is planning to tighten regulations on political donations to prevent foreign interference. Measures include verifying donations over £500 from unregistered organizations and closing legal loopholes exploited by shell companies.