Parliament has unanimously approved through all stages two related Bills, one giving the right to 16-year-olds to vote in local council elections from next year and the other to make provisions for their registration under the General Elections Act.
Both Bills were moved by Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Buontempo and seconded by Opposition Whip David Agius.
Godfrey Farrugia (PL) said youths were eager to participate in daily local life. There were those who had leadership skills and others who wished to present themselves as candidates for local councils.
He said this voting right would boost young people’s eagerness to identify themselves with their localities and expressed his disappointment that party politics were the order of the day in local councils. This was not the case when local councils were first introduced.
Earlier, speaking during the debate in second reading of the Local Councils (Amendment) Bill, Claudio Grech (PN) said one would be defeating the very aim of local councils and the subsidiarity principle if the government centralised the services offered by local councils.
On the contrary, one should consider how local councils could extend their services to complement the central government. Local councils should also have a more central role in policy formulation.
Silvio Parnis (PL) said that one should not only encourage 16-year olds to vote but also to be protagonists and come up with new ideas.
Students should learn about local councils and their importance in their studies, he added.
Charlo Bonnici (PN) said this measure increased politicians’ responsibility when embarking on promotional campaigns since 16-year olds would became a target group. He criticised the PL, which, he said, made use of political banners and billboards in areas close to Mcast.
Winding up the debate on this Bill, Parliamentary Secretary Stefan Buontempo said Malta would be the second nation in the EU to introduce this right, because the government truly believed in young people.
Sustainability, creativity and innovation were the three most important pillars that made up local councils, he said, adding that he looked forward to the Opposition’s proposals on the local wardens reform.
The Bills were unanimously approved.