The chairman of “Our Party” and potential presidential candidate Renato Usatiy proposes that the right to vote in Moldova should be granted from the age of 16. As “INFOTAG” reports, he told about it in his weekly program “Strength in Truth”. Usatii argues the proposal by saying that “today’s high school students reason very sensibly, are well educated and have critical thinking.”
“It begs the question: why can kids get an ID at 16, why can they take driver’s license tests and drive at driving school from age 16, but they can’t vote? If they have an ID card at 16 and can take the driver’s license test, voting is no more serious or complicated for them. I’m sure young people would support this idea. The right to vote from the age of 16 is natural and would encourage them to participate in the development of the country and decision-making,” the politician said.
According to him, “if the law allowed young people to vote from the age of 16 today, Usatii would win in the first round (of the presidential election).” He is also convinced that the chances of bribing a young person of 16-17 years old are extremely low.
“Some politicians manipulate people’s difficulties to bribe them in elections. But such tricks do not work on young people. It doesn’t work with them. Our children and youth are more advanced than we were at their age. In countries like Germany, Austria, Scotland and Estonia, young people from the age of 16 have the right to vote in elections and referendums. The authorities in these countries see this as a way to give young people the opportunity to express their opinions and actively participate in the decision-making process at the state level.” – said Usatiy.
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