Voting age in Berlin could be lowered to 16

The SPD, the Greens and the Left in Berlin want to make it possible to vote from the age of 16 at the state level. The FDP is in the opposition, but also wants it. And that opens up completely new possibilities.

In Berlin, young people from the age of 16 should be able to have a say in the composition of the House of Representatives. So far, this is only possible in the elections to the district assembly. Red-Green-Red and the Berlin FDP want to lower the voting age accordingly this year. This was announced on Thursday by SPD parliamentary group leader Raed Saleh and FDP parliamentary group leader Sebastian Czaja.

The reform project requires a two-thirds majority in the state parliament, which the governing parties SPD, Greens and Left Party alone do not have and therefore need support from the opposition. The FDP parliamentary group supports the plan to get the reform off the ground quickly, said Czaja.

"We believe that this is also an expression of social progress and a question of generational justice," explained the FDP politician.

SPD state and parliamentary group leader Saleh said he was a big supporter of the voting age from 16 for state elections because young people deserve a vote. This regulation already applies in five other federal states from Hamburg to Baden-Württemberg. "It is high time for Berlin."

"We can pass a law this year that can then come into play in the 2026 House of Representatives elections," said Saleh. "I personally believe that many Berliners will use it at a young age." This is also indicated by the experiences from the federal states in which young people are allowed to vote at 16.

From Czaja's point of view, it is realistic to implement the proposed legislation by the end of the year. The FDP politician pointed out that the consequences of political decisions also affect younger people who have not yet been allowed to vote: Anyone considering today's major challenges, such as the pandemic or the war in Ukraine, must ask the question "who is suddenly being held accountable for all this?" Czaja said.

Greens parliamentary group leader Silke Gebel welcomed the plans: "As Greens, we have always worked to ensure that young people have a strong voice in politics," she told the dpa. "It is clear that the right to vote must be lowered, because of course 16-year-olds are responsible citizens and have the right to help shape it." In the Corona crisis in particular, the interests of children and young people were often seen to be negotiated very quickly, says Gebel.

The youth organizations of the SPD and Greens in Berlin also spoke out in favor of the reform. Lowering the voting age to 16 means that young people deal with political issues earlier and get involved, said Mary Vom, spokeswoman for the Green Youth Berlin. The state chair of the Young Socialists (Jusos), Sinem Tasan-Funke, emphasized: "This is an important step towards more participation by young people in public life, which we of course also want to see enforced at federal level."

SPD parliamentary group leader Saleh agrees: "I would like the traffic light coalition to take a similar step at federal level for the federal elections, but others have to decide that," he said. At the state level, he sees the development coming across the board: "It's only right and up-to-date for people to be able to vote at the age of 16. I'm convinced that at some point all other federal states will follow suit."

Saleh once again campaigned for the support of the Christian Democrats, who have so far rejected lowering the voting age. "I expressly invite the CDU. The broader the alliance, the better it is." A spokesman for the CDU parliamentary group said on Thursday that MPs wanted to discuss the issue at their next meeting. It is quite conceivable that the Christian Democrats could move on the issue: a good dozen CDU MPs have moved into the state parliament.

In the last electoral term, no two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives was foreseeable for lowering the voting age. After the elections in September, however, the reform is possible: 98 of the 147 MPs would have to agree to it. The SPD, the Greens and the Left Party have 92 seats, the FDP has 12 MPs - that's a total of 104, even without the CDU.

Source: Berliner Morgen Post