Québec solidaire wants to allow young people to vote from the age of 16

Québec solidaire wants young people to be able to vote starting at age 16, so they can have their say if a referendum on sovereignty is held.

The left-wing party announced Thursday that, should it be elected to government, it would lower the voting age to 16 “as soon as it comes to power.”

Party spokesperson Ruba Ghazal explained that she wants to allow a larger proportion of young people to participate in such a popular consultation.

She maintains that young people have the right to have their say on their own future.

“I want the 2026 election to be the last one in which 16- and 17-year-olds cannot vote,” she stated in a press release.

Ghazal noted that the right to vote at 16 has already been adopted in some countries, notably Austria. The United Kingdom has also announced its intention to do so for the next election.

“Not only are young people mature enough to express themselves, but it would also have a beneficial effect on their education and political participation,” she argued.

The sovereignty movement has been reinvigorated since a CROP poll revealed last summer that the option was gaining momentum among 18- to 34-year-olds. According to this poll published by La Presse in August, 56 per cent of these respondents support sovereignty.

And with the Parti Québécois still leading in the polls, the possibility of a referendum is becoming increasingly tangible.

“Young people yearn for an independent Quebec and want to participate fully in building an inclusive country open to the world,” Ghazal argued. “Let’s give them the means to achieve their ambitions by allowing them to be fully involved in shaping their future.”

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews