HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

On Monday, the government of Gibraltar made the proposal to reduce the voting rights from the age of 18 to 16 and want to bring it into force for the next General Election. The government will officially put forward the proposal at the next meeting of the Select Committee on Parliamentary Reform.

It is thought that the decision was heavily influenced by last month's Scottish referendum in which 16 year-olds were allowed to cast their votes. It is also thought that similar proposals are being considered for the rest of the United Kingdom in future elections.

Gibraltar's Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: "With the referendum in Scotland having included 16 year old voters, any future referenda in the UK and Gibraltar are likely to have such a franchise. As a result, it is clear to us that voting at General Elections should also be extended to those who are 16 years and over."

He went on to say: "The sixteen year olds who I know are responsible young adults who know what they want and what they stand for. They have a lot to contribute and their voice should be heard at election time!"

With Mr. Picardo's Socialist-Liberal alliance securing 10 out of the 17 seats in the Gibraltar assembly, the passing of the new proposals are almost guaranteed.

If the proposals are rubber-stamped, Gibraltar will become one of only a handful of territories and nations with a voting age of just 16, joining Brazil, Cuba, Austria, Argentina, Ecuador and Nicaragua.

Gibraltar was ceded to Britain by Spain in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht. In recent years, the Spanish government has pursued their argument that the tiny British outpost should be returned back to Spanish sovereignty.

The chances of this happening do seem rather remote though, seeing that in a 2002 Gibraltar referendum, 99% of the 30,000 population voted against sovereignty with Spain.

The next general election in Gibraltar is due by April 2016.

Image Source: ChrisGoldNY via photopin cc