Turkey's ruling party proposes lowering parliamentary age to 18

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

DHA Photo

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) submitted a proposal on March 23 for a constitutional amendment to set the age of candidacy at the parliamentary level to 18.

The aim with the change is to encourage more young people to get involved in politics, the proposal said.

Over 200 deputies, including Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, have signed the legislative proposal and submitted it to the parliamentary speaker’s office. If passed, Turkish citizens will be eligible to become candidates in parliamentary elections after turning 18 years old, regardless of having served their compulsory military service or not, which applies to all male citizens in the country.

“The young are offered the right to have a voice in national and global politics and the right to become a part of changing and developing politics,” the proposal said. “It is a significant democratic step.” 
   
In 2006, a proposal was submitted by the AKP to reduce the age for parliamentary eligibility from 30 to 25, a measure that was approved. In Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, citizens 18 years of age or older can participate in national, regional and local elections.