The Government of Malta met on January 29, 2018 to begin discussions on lowering the voting age for general elections from 18 to 16 under constitutional amendments.
The Government of Malta met on January 29, 2018 to begin discussions on lowering the voting age for general elections from 18 to 16 under constitutional amendments.
All political parties have agreed to the amendments and it is expected to pass through parliament quickly.
Universal suffrage was granted within Malta 70 years ago, when a motion was moved before the national assembly by then Labour Leader Paul Boffa to grant women the vote for the first time.
At that time, the voting age was 21, and was reduced to 18 during the 1976 general election.
Maltese citizens aged 16 and over have been able to vote in local council elections since 2015, but now 16 and 17 year olds will also be eligible to vote in the general elections.
The amendments will see the voting population rise by 8,500 and will be in place by the European Parliament elections in 2019.
Candidates must still be 18 to be nominated to run in an election.
The proposal had been discussed within Malta for a number of years before the Nationalist Party and Democratic Party MP Marlene Farrugia jointly presented a motion in September 2016 to raise the issue in parliament.
Its adoption was urged by the National Youth Council, who argued the democratic principle that there should not be any taxation without representation, and that 16 year olds were allowed to work and therefore liable to pay taxes.
A White Paper was issued by the government in 2017 confirming the intention to lower the voting age.
The motion for debate was moved by Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms, Citizenship and Simplification of Administrative Processes Julia Farrugia Portelli, and was seconded by Opposition Deputy Leader David Agius.
The bill will also amend the General Elections Act and the European Parliament Act, and was in line with recommendations made by the European Union.
Malta will be only the second country after Australia to lower the voting age to 16 years old.
The motion has been widely praised, with Education Minister Evarist Bartolo stating that the law would strengthen Malta’s electoral system, which boasts a high rate of election participation and parliamentary representation in strict proportionality to votes.
Some have criticised the proposal, however, questioning the political motives behind the amendments and arguing that young people are without the right skills and experience to be able to make an informed decision.
