Estonia may allow voting at 16 in next European Parliament elections
In the next European Parliament elections, 16‑year‑olds may gain the right to vote and 18‑year‑olds the right to run as candidates, if the Riigikogu approves amendments to the election law this autumn.
On June 17, the Riigikogu passed the second reading of a bill that would lower both the voting age and the candidacy age for European Parliament elections.
The bill was initiated by 45 members of the Riigikogu from the Reform Party, the Social Democratic Party and Estonia 200. Under the amendment, young people aged 16 and older would be able to vote in European Parliament elections instead of the current minimum age of 18. The candidacy age would fall from 21 to 18.
The goal of the change is to involve young people more in decision‑making at the European level and give them an earlier opportunity to participate in public life. According to the initiators, greater participation by younger candidates and voters would bring more attention to youth issues and improve the age balance among decision‑makers.
Lowering the candidacy age could also encourage young people to follow public debates more closely, think about shaping policy and develop their understanding of how society functions.
According to Pipi‑Liis Siemann (Reform Party), the committee representative, the bill is moving forward and will likely reach its third reading in the Riigikogu in the autumn.
Asked whether young people might be influenced by social media during elections, Siemann said that social media affects all voters. "It is important to inform both young people and adults about the potential impact of social media," she said.
Passing the bill requires a majority of the Riigikogu's full membership. The next European Parliament elections will take place in June 2029.
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Editor: Argo Ideon
