PL to give right to 16-year-olds to vote in local elections.

PL to give right to 16-year-olds to vote in local elections

The Labour Party declared that a new government will give the right to 16-year-olds to vote, as a first step, in the local council elections.

Labour leader Joseph Muscat had a meeting with the National Youth Council, along with a number of participants from this year’s Youth in Parliament.

Joseph Muscat said that the Labour Party stressed on this proposal because it believes in it. He insisted that young people today need less talk and more action, while he mentioned that in the near we will face the same issues, which were raised by those who opposed the voting age to drop from 21 to 18 years old.

Joseph Muscat praised the way the discussions were conducted in parliament, including on cohabitation and IVF, where the discussion was progressive.

PL spokesperson for Youth Affairs Luciano Busuttil praised the commitment of people who submitted resolutions researched several important areas. He said that the work they conducted shows that youth are ready to participate in politics.

The President of the National Youth Council Matthew Vella said the Youth in Parliament this year, discussed the issues that directly affect young people. He added that the discussion was open and no one was reluctant to discuss matters.

During the meeting, the youths talked with the Labour leader on the research they conducted and on their submitted proposals. They praised the proposal that 16 years olds should be given the right to vote, something that is already used in other European countries. The current state of the Public Broadcasting Service and the much needed reforms needed to make it more balanced were raised.

Other topics discussed included education, accessibility and environment sustainability.