Pro & Contra
Enfranchised from 16 – expedient or not?
Should the voting age for Bundestag elections be reduced? A law student and a political journalist explain the positives and negatives.
Pro
Shayan Mirmoayedi is studying law and is chairperson of the association “Jugend Wählt” (Youth Elects).
Contra
Susann Kreutzmann is an editor at the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) in Berlin.
Should the voting age for Bundestag elections in Germany be reduced from 18 to 16?
Yes, the voting age for some federal state elections and the European elections in Germany is already 16. The intention for the Bundestag elections is that this ruling should also apply.
No – for a wide range of reasons. German law doesn’t trust 16-year-olds to conclude a mobile phone contract or obtain a driving license. Yet they should have a say in the fate of the country at the ballot box? These are contradictions. The voting age presupposes legal responsibility. The right to vote and the right to stand in elections also go hand in hand. Those who are entitled to vote should also be entitled to stand for election. You must be at least 18 to run for the Bundestag.
Are 16-year-olds sufficiently mature to make an electoral decision?
Relevant studies and researchers say: Yes. They indicate that 16-year-olds are in the position to process information and reach an informed electoral decision. It’s difficult to say when someone is sufficiently mature to make an electoral decision. The topics or circumstances that are decisive for someone can be quite individual. Picking out individual examples from the voter group isn’t the solution. I don’t even believe that every adult I meet in everyday life is sufficiently mature. I would nevertheless not deny them the right to vote.
Electoral decisions primarily involve assuming responsibility. Those who legitimise political decisions should in principle also be able to assume their own responsibility for them – in other words be allowed to stand for election. This is in line with our understanding of democracy. The political equality enshrined in our Basic Law would effectively be abolished if the right to vote were decoupled from the right to stand in elections. Proponents of voting rights from the age of 16 should then consequently demand that the age of criminal responsibility also be lowered to 16. But this demand is not being made in earnest, of course, because juvenile criminal law exists for good reason. The starting point here is the assumption that young people have not yet developed full capacity for judgement from a developmental psychology perspective.
Do young people in Germany have enough basic knowledge of politics?
There is enough basic knowledge. This is particularly evident when compared to other voting groups. 16- and 17-year-olds can access the media to obtain information about politics. Schools impart knowledge concerning the political system in Germany. Political education must nevertheless improve – not least in terms of long-term impacts on the population.
It’s very important and welcome when young people take an interest in politics, understand how the rule of law works and are enthusiastic about politics. Yet this is initially irrelevant to the issue of voting age. Because interest doesn’t replace political responsibility. The core conflict remains: Those who help shape democracy must also be accountable for it. Incidentally, although a basic knowledge of politics is desirable, it’s not a prerequisite for the democratic act of casting a vote. Otherwise, many adults would also not be allowed to cast their vote.
Would greater participation by young people through elections also increase their political interest and activism?
Not being able to participate in decision-making can be frustrating and demotivating. What’s more: Our parliamentary democracy makes elections particularly influential. The ability to vote gives a greater incentive to become politically informed. Enfranchisement from 16 can alleviate frustration and result in greater commitment. This could also make future issues, young people’s realities and interests more prominent in the discourse.
The voting age in Germany was lowered in 1972 from 21 to 18. Voter turnout since then in this group has regularly been below average. The reasons are young people’s declining trust in established parties and increasing disillusionment with politics. The parties must react accordingly. Tinkering with the voting age won’t solve this problem. There is conversely no evidence to support the argument that lowering the voter age will increase voter turnout. In countries where the voting age is already 16, such as Austria and Malta, this isn’t likely to happen in the long term.
