The British government has announced its intention to give young people aged 16 and 17 the right to vote in all elections in the United Kingdom. The measure is part of a major reform of the electoral system, Reuters reports, quoted by News.bg.
The proposal, which is yet to be considered and approved by parliament, aims to equalize voting rights in all parts of the country. Young people in Scotland and Wales can now vote in local and parliamentary elections run by regional governments.
“We are taking action to remove barriers to participation to ensure more people have the opportunity to engage with democracy in the UK“, said Deputy Prime Minister Angela Raynor.
Turnout in the 2024 general election was just 59.7%, the lowest since 2001, a report by the British parliament shows.
According to data from the Library of the House of Commons, in countries where the voting age has been lowered to 16, this has not led to a significant distortion of election results. On the contrary, 16-year-olds are more likely to vote at the first opportunity than 18-year-olds.
The Labour Party, which won the election a year ago but lost some of its electoral support, had pledged to lower the voting age.
The reform also envisages expanding the acceptable forms of personal identification. Among the newly accepted documents will be bank cards, digital versions of driving licenses and veterans' cards issued in the UK.
In response to growing concerns about foreign interference in the electoral process, the government will strengthen controls on political donations. This includes checks on contributions of more than 500 pounds from unincorporated associations, as well as closing legal loopholes used by shell companies.