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Current Situation Around Vote 16

What is the current public opinion in your country on the idea of Vote 16?

What steps or discussions have already taken place in your country toward potentially lowering the voting age?

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Public Opinion (no view on latest data after European elections of 9th of June, where 16-17 year olds were obligated to vote for the first time.

But seeing the implementation of the change of voting age went so poorly, I would expect it to be mostly against.

We had a big push for lowering the voting age in 2018 (video campaign oin Youtube, talking to all political parties, experts, young people etc.), when we at the Flemish Youth Council pushed for the lowering of the voting age for the local elections in Flanders. We really put the topic on the agenda, with a advice from 2016 and the campaign of 2018.

Although unsuccesful, in 2020 the new federal government lowered the age to 16 years for the European elections. This change was challenged, because of many hurdles (obligatory registration, no obligation etc.). The constitutional court first ordered the government to remove the registration obligation and later also ruled that just as for everyone else the voting should be obligatory.

As the Flemish youth Council we are not in favour of this obligation, for it shifts the perspective of a positive first voting experience free for those who want, to an obligation with a possibility of many negative effects in the long term.

We are still pushing for lowering the voting age at other levels, but as of now are unsuccesful. Espacially the local level could be changed very easily by a simple majority law, other levels need constitutional reform.

Also had the Tisaanu-project to inform and motivate first time voters, to facilitate the first time.

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Under the BYC, the Votes at 16 campaign was an important policy stance. We had a steering group dedicated to pushing policy forward.

The current Labour government included the Votes at 16 policy in their manifesto. But after it was not mentioned in the King’s Speech, there is uncertainty over whether this policy will be implemented.

However, we see in the foreseeable future, as we just held the UKYP. That this initiative will restart and continue to be pushed.

Recent polling shows that majority of the public: 47% is against Votes at 16. https://www.moreincommon.org.uk/latest-insights/voting-age/

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We had a referendum in 2015 regarding amongst other stuff vote 16. No won with a large margin. So next² year we will be celebrating 10 years, and we are preparing a large campaign to bring to subject back onto the table. the current government is partly made up by the people that were opposing vote 16 10 years ago, so even if they were in favour, it will be difficult for them to hold this position. but although public opinion in still somewhat split, there seems to be a consensus amongst young people.

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RmS is actively pushing the topic of Vote 16 forward, opening it as a dialogue during working groups or podcast interviews, as it is the first step to raising awareness on this topic. However, still the general public is unkeen to foresee the benefits of this movement and is rather skeptical, with 82% refusing the idea of lowering the voting age, arguing that the education on politics needs to be enhanced first. Proponents of the idea claim that the young people under 18 get married, become parents, can be criminally liable and, most importantly, have a much better understanding of politics than their parents. Mocking elections of 15-18-year-olds held in high schools show interest of young voters to participate and engage in public life. Unfortunately, according to the results of such mock elections, young voters tend to be radical voting in favour of extremist parties on both sides.

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Ongoing campaign: https://www.sajv.ch/de/themen-alt/jugendpartizipation/stimmrechtsalter-16

Also: https://www.stimmrechtsalter16.ch/

National-level:

Negative support from National Parlement in February 2024 (https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/stimmrechtsalter-16-abgelehnt-die-angst-vor-der-mitbestimmung-der-jugend)

To be reviewed at a later time.

Cantonal level: one canton - Glaris; some cantons voted against (Kanton Bern, e.g.). Other cantonal initiatives in progress (next vote in Kanton Aargau, 24.11.24)

Some localities (Gemeinde) have allowed municipal voting.

Additional research points from DSJ (Swiss Federation of Youth Parlements): https://dsj.ch/themen/stimmrechtsalter-16/

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Situation in the Czech Republic and the CRDM approach towards the topic

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SITUATION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

the vote at 16 is a minor topic in a Czech Republic

the public debate on this topic is limited and ocassional

event hough some political parties have the lowering of the voting age in their manifesto not a big effort has been made so far

CRDM APPROACH

The Czech Council of Children and Youth does support the Vote 16 initiative but so far has not launched any wider campaign yet. However, CRDM has created a special platform for student parliaments from all over the countries, where the topic is being discussed and strongly promoted amongst the members.

ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN COUNTRY CONTEXT

The CRDM participates in events and conferences if being invited but does not have any active campaigns at the moment.

The biggest problem we face is the capacity. All of the board members have their specific agendas and there is simply not a space for being active in this matter at the moment.

In general terms the CRDM Board is for this topic but the member organisations do not consider this as an important thing to strive for.