- The proposed changes are subject to parliamentary approval.
- Reducing voting age at 16 does not affect electoral results.
- The study shows that 16 -year -olds are more likely to vote than 18-Te-years.
The British government announced Thursday that it plans to give young people of 16 and 17 years the right to vote in all the United Kingdom elections, marking an important review of the country’s democratic system.
The Government said that the proposed changes, which are subject to parliamentary approval, would align the voting rights throughout the United Kingdom with Scotland and Wales, where younger voters already participate in the delegated elections.
“We are taking measures to break the barriers for participation that will guarantee that more people have the opportunity to participate in the United Kingdom democracy,” said Vice Prime Minister Angela Rayner in a statement.
The participation in the general elections of 2024 was 59.7%, the lowest in a general election since 2001, according to a parliamentary report.
According to the Library of the Chamber of the Commons, the investigation of countries that have lowered the voting age to 16 shows that it has had no impact on the electoral results, and that the 16 -year -olds were more likely to vote than the first eligible at 18.
The work, whose popularity has fallen abruptly in the government after being chosen by a landslide a year ago, had said that it would reduce the voting age if chosen.
The reforms would also expand the identification of acceptable voters to include bank cards cast by the United Kingdom and digital formats of existing IDs, such as driver’s licenses and veteran cards.
To address the foreign interference, the Government said that it also planned to harden the rules on political donations, including contribution controls greater than £ 500 ($ 670) of uncompassed associations and closing gaps used by Shell companies.
