A PARLIAMENTARY debate on Tuesday this week will consider whether to reduce the minimum age for voting from 18 to 16.
Although none of the main political parties mentioned this in their electoral manifestos, the Catalunya Left Republicans (ERC) has proposed a motion to that effect and, if it is approved, will bring Spain in line with several other countries in Europe and beyond.
Norway, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, some States in Germany, and the Swiss canton of Glaris allow citizens of the country to vote in general elections and foreigners to vote in local and, where applicable, European Union elections, from age 16.
The UK was considering doing likewise for the Scottish referendum and also the forthcoming vote on whether or not Britain should leave or remain in the EU.
This motion in Spain is based upon a resolution approved in 2011 by the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, which urged all member States to allow voting from age 16 so as to prevent European youth from being effectively 'cast out' when it came to making their voices heard on political issues.
ERC recalls that in Spain, 16-year-olds are able to work, marry with parental consent – or without, if they have no adult guardians – as well as pay taxes, give their consent to medical treatment including, despite the PP's efforts to prevent this, abortions, and to have consenting sexual relations.
The party also points out that the non-binding referendum, or opinion poll, held over Catalunya's possible independence on November 9 last year allowed everyone resident in or native of the region aged 16 or over to vote.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com