[WATCH] We asked University of Malta students about letting 16-year-olds vote in the general election

University students on extending voting right to 16-year-olds

With the possibility of 16-year-olds voting in the next election seeming more likely by the day, MaltaToday asked a number of University students what their thoughts are on the matter.

Asked about whether they feel that voting rights should be extended to 16-year-olds, students gave mixed views with some believing that younger members of society have a right to have a say on how the country is run. A number of others however expressed reservations about how ready 16-year-olds are with some saying they didn’t feel ready enough when they were 18 years old.

On whether they felt that their opinions had changed since they were 16, some students said that their views have remained relatively consistent however the majority did admit to seeing the world differently now.

“My views have definitely changed because of the things I’ve experienced and the fact that I’ve more people who are older than me. I’ve learnt more about how things around me work and I’m not sure I would have appreciated certain things when I was 16,” said one student.

Most students acknowledged that some people that age might be well informed enough to vote responsibly however the doubted whether the majority would vote on the basis of an informed opinion. Some however also pointed out that there are probably a number of 30-year-olds who are not well informed so this shouldn’t stop us from allowing people to take part in the democratic process.

On the issues that they felt were important to them most said that they were interested in government policies that affected the University of Malta and student life in general. Many said that they were interested in measures being taken to ensure future employment prospects as well as those related to the economy however none voiced concerns about issues such as the development and the environment or alleged corruption – topics which have dominated political discourse over the past months.