The decision to lower the voting age to 16 for national elections in the UK is both timely and transformative. It reflects a growing recognition that young people are not passive citizens-in-waiting but active participants in society with a legitimate stake in how their country is governed. At 16, many are already contributing economically, socially, and, in some cases, militarily. To continue denying them the vote in general elections while expecting them to uphold other responsibilities is an untenable contradiction. This move is not without precedent. Scotland and Wales have already enfranchised 16- and 17-year-olds in local and devolved government elections.

Extending that right across the UK marks the most significant expansion of the franchise since it was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1969. This is not merely about increasing numbers on the electoral roll; it is about acknowledging the maturity,........

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