Folks, it's not about how smart/easy to manipulate they are. Your average adult voter is a pretty dumb shit too. We very specifically do not test for intelligence, education, critical thinking, knowledge, or anything else when people get the right to vote. Because none of that is the point. The point is that people have a say in how their government is formed and who runs it, regardless of their status. French peasants were pretty dumb too; were they wrong to seize the government from hereditary aristocrats? Ultimately, when classes of people don't have a say in how their government runs, they end up oppressed, and/or they find a different (usually violent) way to affect things. Give the damn teenagers a vote. It's not like they're worse than your average right-winger.
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If this reform doesn’t include proportional representation, then it isn’t a ‘major reform’
I feel like whatever rules there are for political campaigning to minors/in schools might need a bit of a revamp. Though as far as advertising goes I'm pretty sure the UK has sensible laws, especially for political advertising.
What? You think young people are gonna vote for you for putting genocide protestors in prison? You are in for a disappointment.
I'm guessing they just don't vote since kids don't vote as is, even younger ones probably will vote even less
lol even little kids see right through it and know he's sticking up for a genocidal apartheid state
This is great, and overall something I'd support and want to see in my country (NZ).
My one criticism is that I've found that my friends at a young age just voted the same way as their family did. For a few reasons, such as to avoid upsetting dad, echo chambers or other things.
Not sure how to solve this one.
Is it considered good? I don't think many people at 16 really care about politics. But I am absolutely sure that there are many imbeciles at 16 who would vote even for a goat "just for giggles".
Dunno. Those older people don't seem to be doing such a great job either. See the current us and, yes, Brexit, if it's more relevant.
turnout of 16- to 17-year-olds in the Vienna elections was estimated to be 64.2% and thus significantly and substantially higher than the turnout of 18–20-year-olds, which was 56.3%. In Krems turnout of 16- and 17-year-olds was 56.3% and substantially higher than turnout of older first-time voters (46.3%)
In Germany you can also vote in most elections at 16. And you can also vote for the European Parliament with 16. I think that is good, since the people who are currently young will be most affected by many of the decisions taken now. It also recognizes that the young people are also important and encourages political participation from a young age. And nobody is forced to vote, so people who are disinterested in politics will just note vote.
It might be just my subjective perspective, but to me it feels like 16 year olds are much easier to radicalise, or be fed half truths. They are in the age when you feel like you want to change the world, but you might also still believe in fairy tales and/or simplified scenarios. I hope I'm either wrong or this change won't go through, but I'm getting "propaganda audience" vibes.
I think there is some truth to that. There is definitely a difference in the way young and old people vote(d). When looking at the last election for the European Parliament you can see that young people voted way less for the established parties and way more for small parties source (German). But that is not necessary connected to propaganda. Old people just have their "default party" they vote for since 50 years and young people mostly want change. At I think this principle will never change.
Not only is it good, I don’t think it’s enough.
Your vote should be weighed with an inverse relationship to age. That is: the older you are the less your vote should count. Older people who are closer to death have an incentive to vote for short-term gain over long-term improvements. This is how we got into the climate crisis, the world is being ruled by reheated corpses who don’t give a crap about the future.
I know nothing of UK Law, but this smells of justification for a future draft at 16y law.
This was part of the reasoning for lowering the age. They can already join the military, pay taxes, provide care for family members etc. They should have a voice in politics.
I don't believe they can be sent to actually fight until 18 though.
Well shit, now I can't claim I know nothing of UK Law .
You can already join the British army at 16.
People under 25 already rarely vote. It's not going to change as much as people might want I bet
UK really wanting a BrEnter vote
(BrExit, BrEnter)
BritIN not BritOUT
Goddamnit, that’s even better
Re-joining the EU has 56% support btw https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/52410-nine-years-after-the-eu-referendum-where-does-public-opinion-stand-on-brexit
So you’re saying there’s a chance!!
Yeah maybe under the next government
breenter 2029
mmmm… brenner
Ah yes those least impressionable and easily manipulated of us all- teenagers!
To contrast the set in their ways and senile elderly
