UK moves to lower voting age to 16 in major overhaul

Britain moved on Thursday to lower the voting age by two years to 16 in all UK elections, a major overhaul of the country’s democratic system that immediately split opinion over whether they should or would cast ballots.

- Agencies

The proposed changes were designed to boost participation and trust in the electoral system, which suffered its lowest turnout at the last national election in 2024 since 2001.

It would also align voting rights across Britain, where younger voters can already participate in elections to devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales, but under 18s are barred from voting in elections to the British parliament.

Globally, most countries have a voting age of 18. However, in last year's European Parliament elections, European Union members were given the option to allow people to vote from the age of 16, a move taken by Germany, Belgium, Austria and Malta.

The change in Britain will require parliamentary approval, but it should pass given the policy was part of Keir Starmer’s election campaign last year which gave him a large majority.

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