Young liberaler fights for voting rights aged 16 and over: Revolution in Hesse!

Young liberaler fights for voting rights aged 16 and over: Revolution in Hesse!

Tom Kewald, a 21-year-old economy student from Marburg, recently achieved a remarkable breakthrough in politics. He was elected to the federal executive board of the young liberals and has made a name for himself through his commitment to a more liberal society. Kewald became known not only through his election campaign, but also by contesting the result of the mayor election in Marburg in 2021. At his application speech, he received impressive 82 percent of the vote. Kewald calls for a real turnover in the current election campaign as well as relief and de -bureaucratization.

he is committed to introducing a stock pension and for a future -proof pension system. He also advocates a cosmopolitan but regulated immigration policy. In 2021, Kewald, supported by the “More Democracy” association, was actively involved in the discussion about lowering the election age to 16 years for municipal elections. This initiative should enable younger voters to participate in political decisions.

legal examination of the right to vote

Together with his colleague Jonathan Faust, another 17-year-old student from Hesse, Kewald submitted a lawsuit against his exclusion from the local elections in Marburg and Kassel. The two students demand the municipal voting right aged 16 and over and want the Marburg mayor election to be repeated. In Hesse, the election age for local elections is currently 18 years. In contrast, 16- and 17-year-olds can already take part in elections in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.

The lawsuit is supported by renowned law professors such as Hermann Heussner and Arne Pautsch, who represent the students before the administrative courts in Gießen and Kassel. Heußner describes these procedures as "sample procedures" to check the constitutionality of the elementary limit. He argues that the current limit of 18 years is unconstitutional because young people at this age have the necessary maturity to take part in elections. The topic is supported by civil society organizations, including the association "More Democracy", whose representative Ralf-Uwe Beck emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen trust in the democratic institutions.

political participation of young people

The discussion about lowering the election is not new, but has taken on in speed in recent years, especially in view of the current social challenges. Young people are increasingly interested in acting actively in the design of their future, which has been further reinforced by the climate crisis and pandemic. In many federal states, it is now possible that 16- and 17-year-olds will take part in local elections; Already eleven federal states offer these young voters the opportunity to vote.

An example of such regulations can be found in Baden-Württemberg, where 16-year-olds have been allowed to participate in local elections since 2012. The debate about the election also shows a split opinion in the German Bundestag. While the traffic light coalition is planning to reduce the age of voting, there are skeptical voices within the line -up, in particular by MPs from the Union Group.

The demands from the youth movement, for example through the "Fridays for Future" initiative, illustrate the urge for more political participation. They demand a democratic participation that meets the needs of the younger generation. The challenges of the future require young voices who want to have a say. The legal disputes of Kewald and Faust could thus make a decisive contribution to a more youthful policy and pave the way for a broader political participation.