“Neither a left nor a right slide can be adopted”: Nadine Aebischer defends the age of 16 to vote

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When it comes to the future, young people also vote. An SRG survey on the climate protection law, which Switzerland recently voted on, leads to this conclusion. According to this, participation in the elections by young people between the ages of 18 and 25 was above average.

One thing is clear: the younger generation is more affected by the consequences of climate change than the generation before. Should young people be more politically involved? This question is becoming more topical.

In mid-June, the National Council voted for the third time for a voting age of 16. He defeated a motion by his provisional advisory committee to terminate the work in question by a vote of 98 to 93. The state political committee of the National Council must now prepare a proposal for the voting age of 16.

The deal goes back to a parliamentary initiative by Green National Councilor Sibel Arslan. She wants to give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote and vote. In other words, they should be able to choose and vote. When it comes to passive voting and suffrage – that is, the ability to run for political office yourself – everything should remain the same. The political engagement of young people has increased considerably, Arslan justifies her initiative.

Zurich and Bern do not want a voting age of 16

However, so far almost all proposals for voting rights from the age of 16 have failed. Most recently in Zurich and in Bern. Only in the canton of Glarus is the voting age 16 years since 2007.

Why don’t the old want to give the young the right to vote? The “observer” asked Nadine Aebischer of the Swiss Association of Youth Associations.

Nadine Aebischer, the voting age of 16 is a hot topic. The National Council is also sticking to it. Yet the request fails at the ballot box in several cantons. Why?
Nadine Aebischer: Whenever it comes to expanding political rights, you experience some setbacks before you win. So it was with women’s suffrage. In addition, there is the ping-pong game between the cantons and the federal government, which complicates the process.

That means?
The cantons are more likely to consider a political expansion if this is also discussed at the national level. It then says that you only want to discuss nationally if cantonal successes have already been achieved, such as in the canton of Glarus. The voting age has been 16 since 2007.

You said that the discussion about the voting age of 16 is similar to the discussion about women’s suffrage. Are we clinging to old structures in Switzerland?
On the one hand, we have a rather slow and therefore conservative political system. On the other hand, people affected by the expansion of political rights cannot make decisions for themselves. The same applied to women’s suffrage. In fact, the counterarguments are the same.

What are the counterarguments?
Most counter-arguments are based on a lack of trust and prejudice against young people. Some critics want no separation between the age of consent, ie coming of age, and political rights, and no separation between active and passive voting rights. However, research shows that young people can deal with the consequences of their decisions and take responsibility.

Do young people want to be able to vote at all?
We know from research that 16- and 17-year-olds are interested in politics and want to participate in decisions about politics. Adolescents are also capable of making political decisions and the cognitive ability of 16 and 17 year olds is no different from that of 18 year olds. The voting age of 16 would continue Switzerland’s democratic tradition. It is a privilege of our society to be able to help shape future planning.

Would the voting age of 16 lead to a left or right slide?
Neither a left nor a right slide is to be expected. A study has shown that young people have as many different ways of thinking as adults. If you look at the registrations of young parties in Switzerland, they have all grown. Not to forget: the voting age of 16 affects about 130,000 people in Switzerland. This number does not change the current majority, as more than 5.5 million people can vote in Switzerland, according to the Federal Statistical Office.

What do you think of the discussion about active or passive voting and the right to vote?
The separation between active and passive voting and suffrage is common at the voting age of 16. If passive voting rights for minors were introduced, several legal problems would arise. According to the Swiss Civil Code, minors are not yet fully legally competent. This would make working in public offices more difficult. For example, a minor alderman could not sign a construction contract for a school building.

What opportunities are you giving the National Council? Cantonal proposals failed in Zurich and Bern last year.
The interest in voting at age 16 is there. There are always discussions, in various cantons there are popular initiatives or parliamentary initiatives. Something is happening everywhere.

So step by step to the goal?
Precisely. Step by step and with a lot of patience. It helps if another canton or municipality lowers the voting age, then there is a greater chance that others will follow.

Source:Blick