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https://theconversation.com/germany-lowers-voting-age-to-16-for-the-european-elections-but-is-it-playing-into-the-far-rights-hands-229401>
"Ahead of the European parliament elections in June, Germany has lowered the
age limit on participation to 16. This makes it the largest of just a handful
of states in the EU to allow people under the age of 18 to vote. Austria,
Belgium and Malta have already enfranchised 16 and 17-year-olds, and Greece is
to allow anyone turning 17 in 2024 to participate in the June vote.
Around 4.8 million young Germans – plus about 300,000 young people from other
EU member states who live in Germany – will be allowed to vote for the very
first time. The group makes up a relatively small proportion of Germany’s
overall electorate of 64.9 million, but is nevertheless larger than the
population of many other European member states. And given that the 2019
European elections saw a significant rise in participation among young voters,
we can be hopeful of a good turnout among this newly enfranchised group.
However, younger voters are being heavily courted by the far right, so this
lowering of the voting age could end up boosting the performance of the
Alternative für Deutschland party (AfD).
The latest data suggests that the 15-24-year-old age group has a broadly more
positive view of the European parliament than the rest of the German population
but that this positivity is in sharper decline than other age groups. Recent
figures show 41% of Germans between 15 and 24 years old felt positively about
the parliament, compared to 34% of the overall population. It had been at an
all-time high of 51% just a few years ago in 2021. Similarly, while 75% of the
younger age group believed in having a stronger European parliament in 2021,
that has fallen to 51% in 2024.
The picture, however, is ultimately one that suggests ambivalence. This younger
age group does still consider EU membership a “good thing” and 84% see the
benefits for Germany. And while their level of satisfaction with democracy in
the EU has shrunk to 58%, trust in the European parliament itself has risen to
63%."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
