Schwerin (dpa/mv) - In the state elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, young people over the age of 16 should also be allowed to vote in the future. On Wednesday (9:00 a.m.) the state parliament will discuss a corresponding change in the state election law in the first reading. Voting at 16 in state elections has so far been possible in five federal states. After Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, Baden-Württemberg took this step in April.
The red-red state government in Schwerin, on whose initiative the voting age is to be lowered, expects this to involve young people more in politics. According to government calculations, the number of voters will increase by around 1.9 percent.
16 and 17-year-olds have been able to vote in municipal elections in MV since 1999. However, they are not allowed to stand for election. The minimum age for eligibility is 18 years. It is linked to the age of majority - in local and state elections.
