A popular initiative to lower the voting age to 16 in Berlin was successful. As the House of Representatives announced on Friday, 21,500 of the 25,851 signatures submitted were valid. The alliance “Democracy for All!” exceeded the required quorum of 20,000 supporters’ signatures.
The House of Representatives now has four months to deal with the matter. If it does not follow him, the initiators could initiate a referendum.
However, it is unlikely to get that far. Because the red-green-red coalition and the FDP have already announced that they will lower the active voting age for elections to the House of Representatives from 18 to 16. This requires a constitutional amendment. So far, 16 and 17-year-olds in Berlin have only been allowed to vote in the European elections and the elections to the district assemblies.
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The popular initiative calls for the active voting age to be lowered in referendums as well. She is also calling on the House of Representatives to support the Senate with a Federal Council initiative. The aim of this initiative should be full active and passive voting rights for all people who have lived in Germany for at least three years – in local, state, federal and European elections. Such a Federal Council initiative is already being discussed within the coalition.
