Article

2006-06-01 Europe

There is broad support in Parliament to give all of those who turn 18 years old during an election year the right to vote.

Swedish youth minister Lena Hallengren has said she understands those who think the minimum voting age of 18 years old is unfair, reports Svenska Dagbladet (SvD). She was born on Christmas day and was not allowed to vote when her classmates who had turned 18 did. You think you are just as old and have come just as far in development and maturity, she said, according to SvD.

Hallengren said, it is well worth thinking over a law change. But this is a constitutional question, so even if I wanted to change it, it would take a long time, she said.

A youth party committee recommended in 1997 to base voting on the birth year rather than on the birth day, but the government did not bring up the topic in the Parliament. An SvD survey shows the idea has broad support. The Left Party, The Liberal Party, and The Centre Party have said they approve the change, while the Christian Democrats have supported the idea since their last congress.

The Green Party wants to lower the voting age to 16 years old. Green Party leader Peter Eriksson said the change would be a step in the right direction.

The Moderates are sceptical. Its spokesman for constitutional questions, Henrik von Sydow, said that people should have reached the age of majority in order to vote, according to SvD.
Considering which segment of the population is aging - and which isn't - this seems to indicate that many Swedish leaders don't think their traditional culture is disappearing rapidly enough.

Posted by ryuge 2006-06-01 11:54|| || Front Page|| [11135 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Really?
Because 16 year olds are so so mature?

Posted by 3dc 2006-06-01 12:26|| 2006-06-01 12:26|| Front Page Top

#2 Because sixteen year olds are more likely to vote based on the brainwashing they receive from their skoolz.

Posted by Seafarious">Seafarious 2006-06-01 13:33|| 2006-06-01 13:33|| Front Page Top

#3 As the father of a 16 year old, I propose raising the voting age to 25 (at least).

Posted by Xbalanke 2006-06-01 13:53|| 2006-06-01 13:53|| Front Page Top

#4 As the father of a seveteen-year-old and a sixteen-year-old, I second Xbalanke's motion.

Posted by SLO Jim 2006-06-01 14:10|| 2006-06-01 14:10|| Front Page Top

#5 In 1974 IIRC, "hip" french president Valérie Giscard "d'Estaing" (same phony recently bought nobility as Galouzeau "de Villepin") lowered the age of voting from 21 to 18.
One unexpected consequence was that a clear majority of theses new young voters choosed the socialist François Mitterrand in 1981 (one other factor in his defeat was the Shiraq backstabbing, true to his style).

Btw, I don't have the figures to back this up, being hollow and shallow at the same time, but young voters in France (under 35, and even more under 25) are much more likely to vote National Front than the average voters. Le Pen's votes come mostly from the young, the unemployed, the self-employed, and the working class. No wonder he's diabolized.

Posted by anonymous5089 2006-06-01 14:10|| 2006-06-01 14:10|| Front Page Top

#6 Age laws are generally stupid when they lower anything with public impact below 21, with a few major exceptions - and allow for mature individuals to prove themselves exempt.

I still dont understand why some trooper that has just come back from his 2nd tour in Iraq isnt allowed to buy a beer or a shot - or some 18 year old that just got back on leave halfway through his combat tour in Afghanistan.

I'm at the VFW, and by law I cannot buy one of "my kids" (Kids I know from my time as a scoutmaster) a drink, even when he's a ranger, and a 2 tour combat vet of Iraq and Afghanistan. The kid has more trigger time at 20 than I had at 30.

Its flat out stupid.

Military service should be an exemption. And voting for those under 21 shoudl be simply taken out (excepting military or public service) - they're still children mentally until proven otherwise. Need proof? Go to nearly any college campus and observe.

Posted by Oldspook 2006-06-01 15:24|| 2006-06-01 15:24|| Front Page Top

#7 As the father of a 24 & 20 year old I third Xb's motion as long as it includes the OldSpook amendment.

Posted by AlanC">AlanC 2006-06-01 15:36|| 2006-06-01 15:36|| Front Page Top

#8 As the mother of a 16-year old who plans to vote Republican in 2008 (and I'll bet Frank G. can say the same), I say we don't change anything until after that election. The 9/11 generation understands in a way too many of their grandparents do not.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-06-01 16:29|| 2006-06-01 16:29|| Front Page Top

#9 Amen Spookster!

Posted by Besoeker 2006-06-01 16:31|| 2006-06-01 16:31|| Front Page Top

#10 my middle turned 18 and votes (Rep) for the first time next week. He'll do fine

Posted by Frank G 2006-06-01 16:54|| 2006-06-01 16:54|| Front Page Top

#11
As the father of a 16 year old, I propose raising the voting age to 25 (at least).

I strongly disagree. What makes you an adult? It is not when you are eighteen. It is when you have paid your first facture (that is shamelessly stolen from excellent blog mahmood.tv). In other words, when you become financially autonomous. In fact we could be more concrete: you get the right of vote, the first time you pay taxes, no represnttation without taxaation. It pisses me off, when a student who still lives in papa and mama's house votes for a left-winger who wants to raise taxes. That is why I am for "No taxes, no vote".

And BTW, after the anti-CPE demonatrations in France I am considering in proposing that yougns not ebing allowed to demonstate until they pay taxes.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2006-06-01 17:37|| 2006-06-01 17:37|| Front Page Top

#12 The CPE was a measure to improve insertion in the job market. The people who demonstrated against it in France were not the people who would be directly affrected by it (ie the pople out of the education system and looking for jobs) but high schoolers (I have seen some as young as ten or twelve) and students. Students in markletable disciplines were conspicuouly absent. The student demonstrator were either students in unmarketable disciplines or first year students (unlike in engineer schools there is no test for entry in French universities: it is only after the first year that real students get separated from those who are there for politics, sex and playing intellectual. In mine, only 20% of students made to second year)

That is why I oppose the right of demonstrate for people who still depend on their parents.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2006-06-01 17:56|| 2006-06-01 17:56|| Front Page Top

#13 Drinking age should be 18.
I will give another non-alchol reason.
Send a kid to college. Kid needs to move to a new apt or car breaks down...
Guess what people under 21 can't rent a car!
Why?
Because if they got drunk under age and had an accident the insurance company and the rental agency could be successfully sued for everything and more!
So the damn drinking age makes it hard to help out children in college with auto breakdowns or just moving.
Stupid Stupid Stupid.

Posted by 3dc 2006-06-01 20:10|| 2006-06-01 20:10|| Front Page Top

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