Aargau voters clearly reject voting age 16
Published: Sunday, Nov 24th 2024, 14:40
Updated At: Sunday, Nov 24th 2024, 13:40
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In the canton of Aargau, Swiss citizens can still only vote and stand for election from the age of 18. Voters rejected a popular initiative for a voting age of 16 very clearly. Only the canton of Glarus has a voting age of 16.
The people of Aargau rejected the initiative "For a democracy with a future (voting age 16 in Aargau)" with a No vote of 79.7 percent (No: 141,669 votes, Yes: 35,992 votes). The turnout was just under 42%, as reported by the Aargau State Chancellery on Sunday.
The initiative wanted to amend the cantonal constitution. Swiss citizens over the age of 16 should be able to vote and be elected at cantonal and communal level.
In order to be elected to office, a candidate would still have to be of legal age, i.e. at least 18 years old. The initiative was launched by a committee made up of representatives from numerous young parties. The young SVP did not participate.
Commoners rejected request
The government, parliament and the conservative parties rejected the initiative. They stated that the age of civil and political majority should not be separated. The voting age at communal, cantonal and federal level should be the same.
The SP, Greens, GLP and EVP were in favor of lowering the age limit. They emphasized that the aim was to strengthen political participation. Young people can be trusted to do more; after all, they have to live with today's political decisions for the longest.
Clocks run differently in the canton of Glarus
Following the no vote in Aargau, only the canton of Glarus still has a voting age of 16. In May 2007, the cantonal assembly narrowly approved the lowering of the cantonal voting age.
A constitutional initiative for a voting age of 16 is currently pending in the canton of Lucerne. Parliament has rejected the initiative. This will be submitted to the electorate without a counter-proposal.
In the cantons of Graubünden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden, constitutional amendments are being planned to lower the voting age. In Basel-Stadt and Ticino, according to the umbrella organization of Swiss youth parliaments, motions from the cantonal parliaments are pending.
In May 2022, the people of Zurich rejected a lowering of the voting age with a no vote of 64%. Four months later, the Bernese electorate also wanted nothing to do with a voting age of 16 - with a no vote of 67%.
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