UK The government has announced that The age of voting in the next election will be 16 “Future-proof” as part of a comprehensive effort to restore confidence in democracy.
The vote on 16 has increased by a niche anxiety, which is supported by most Britain’s political parties and electoral reform groups – if to become a topical – to become a topical.
conservative Party There is a grip, but never accepted the contradiction of its continuous opposition to the universal reduction of the polling era, strengthening the Scottish and Welsh Parliament during its time.
This is a policy response to concerns about the decline in young democratic engagement since the end of the 1990s. Since 1997, the UK general election polling rate for people aged 65 years and above has been at least 20 percent more marks compared to people between the ages of 18-24 consecutive.
Some opponents argue that the labor government is doing voting age 16 for its own electoral interest.But we must remember that this was a clearly stated electoral manifesto commitment. 16 votes were part of the package that were distributed Labor For the government on a vast majority in 2024.
He said, public opinion has been continuously opposed. The government will need to handle this tension carefully, ensuring that 16– and 17-year-old children are not considered as second class members of the voter as this debate progresses.
for and against
When the age of voting in 1969 became universally 18, in terms of change, the perceptions of maturity and adulthood markers have been considered. In the 1960s, there was a lot of political and public consent that 18 majority and enfronching had a suitable age. This link is terminated, and many people continue to think under 18, are socially and politically immature to vote responsibly or regularly.
Supporters of the reform emphasized the need to align enfronization with other rights felt at the age of 16 – such as tax, medical consent, work, work, future education, and autonomy to make decisions about life, and military (if not frontline) service.
Opponents responded to 18, keeping in mind the age of the majority, and that the minimum age to quit many protective and social rights such as marriage and full -time education has been pushed 18 or over it in the last decade.
But while 18 remains a legal marker of adulthood, the infection in adulthood has become extended and complicated from puberty. There is no age point on which young people realize all social and economic rights and responsibilities associated with adulthood.
Biological maturity extends from late childhood to adulthood (mid -20s). Traditional markers of adulthood, such as financial freedom, owner of a property, or after getting married and having children, are happening later in life compared to previous generations.
This is more than 50 years, as Parliament finally reflected and reviewed how society understands and understands the issues of adulthood and citizenship and is associated with majority ages. Reducing the age of voting to 16 gives an opportunity to do this on time.
The broad parliamentary debate is ahead as this bill makes its way through law becoming a law. MPs To offer British democracy to offer young people, it should take time to discuss this and discuss this time, and how to concept of enfronching for future generations.
Losing age is just the beginning
Now that the 16- and 17-year-old children are part of the voter, we can hope that political parties will improve their accountability towards the interests of young people.
Unfortunately, where the age of voting has already reduced, we have not yet addressed the parties to make our diagonally decisions, representation or electoral behavior, which is in favor of the old voters. The average age of elected representatives remains about 50 years of age in all UK national and developed parliament, and is higher in the local government. Some youth join political parties or are active in their campaign.
There is also important evidence of the fact that whether the age of voting has decreased or not, young people are not properly supported to be politically and media literate on how and when to vote, and to make informed and independent voter options.
Therefore, reducing the age of voting should only be the first step in more concrete efforts to improve political literacy and democratic engagement as young people grow up. It should continue primary, secondary, school and continue through further and higher education.
Elected representatives should do regular school surgery where they meet children and youth, and listen to their issues and concerns and respond. Youth needs to learn to discuss political issues in school settings, and political parties should host elections in schools and colleges. The youth should also involve decision making in their schools and communities.
Reducing the age of voting gives an opportunity to ensure how we host elections so that young people enjoy voting for the first time – and encourage their future participation.
Making election registration automated, as the government has promised, will help. But joining the electoral role is an important citizen moment in the lives of young people. Schools should host electoral registration ceremonies where students are welcomed by local elected representatives to voters, and automatically a voter authority certificate is given so that they have a suitable piece of voter ID.
Political parties need to embrace the opportunity of this one generation that presents the polling age improvement to secure future health of British democracy.
Andrew Mikek is a main policy companion at Leeds University.
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