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3h ago

NRW Parties Move to Lower Landtag Voting Age to 16

A draft constitutional amendment will be introduced in the next plenary week.

Der Landtag von Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf
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Overview

  • The CDU, SPD, Greens and FDP announced a coordinated bid to let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in North Rhine-Westphalia’s state elections.
  • The change is intended to apply before the next Landtag election scheduled for 2027.
  • Amending the state constitution requires a two-thirds majority, which the four groups currently hold with roughly 128 seats (CDU 76, SPD 56, Greens 39, FDP 12).
  • Party leaders cited strong youth engagement and noted that 16- and 17-year-olds already vote in European and municipal elections.
  • Previous attempts in 2016 and ahead of 2022 failed, with SPD and Greens blaming then-CDU leader Armin Laschet for the 2016 breakdown.