(ANSA) - Rome, September 30 - Foreign Minister and 5-Star
Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio said Monday that he was in
favour of lowering the voting age to 16.
At the moment, Italians have to wait until they are 18 to be
able to vote for their representatives in the Lower House and 25
for the lawmakers in the Senate.
"Giving the vote to 16-year-olds is a proposal that we have
always been behind and which we support strongly," Di Maio said
via Facebook.
"In Italy young people are called choosy, spoilt, 'Gretini',
('little Gretas', referring to climate crisis activist Greta
Thunberg).
"As far as we are concerned, these people should be
respected, listened to and put at the centre of our political
world.
"If a 16-year-old can work and pay taxes, they should also
have the right to vote and decide who makes decisions about
their life".
Di Maio backs lowering voting age to 16
Young people should be listened to - M5S chief, foreign minister