The British government plans to reduce the voting age to 16, marking a major shift in the country’s democratic system.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement yesterady, describing the move as part of Labour’s commitment to modernise democracy and give young people a stronger voice. He argued that if 16- and 17-year-olds are old enough to work and pay taxes, they should also have the right to vote.
The proposed change comes after Labour’s election promise and will require legislation to be passed in Parliament, where the party currently holds a comfortable majority.
While the move is gaining support in some quarters, critics argue it could benefit Labour politically, as younger voters are often more aligned with centre-left ideologies.
Other planned reforms include automatic voter registration similar to systems used in Australia and Canada and accepting United Kingdom-issued bank cards as valid voter indentity card.