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Video length: 2 min
Belgium: the right to vote increases to 16 years for the European elections
Belgium: the right to vote increases to 16 years for the European elections
(franceinfo)
In Belgium, young people will be able to participate in the European vote from the age of 16. 16-17 year olds represent around 3% of the Belgian electorate and their vote is not compulsory.
They are voting for the very first time but falsely. Young people between 16 and 17 years old will have the right to vote before they turn 18 in Belgium. So a university organizes a dress rehearsal. Everything is planned so that the vote resembles a real election, young people learn how to vote and run the polling station.
Four countries apply the measure
Belgium has just extended the right to vote from the age of 16 and only for European elections. In Europe, four countries authorize voting for European women aged 16 and over: Belgium, Germany, Austria and Malta. And there are exceptions: in Greece, it is 17 years minimum and 16 years if you are married in Hungary. The Belgian government will carry out an evaluation before extending this right to vote to other ballots.
