The Scottish referendum this year, whatever the result, will mark one significant change in British politics, with 16 and 17-year-olds being able to vote “yes” or “no” on the nation’s constitutional future. (Find out more here if that applies to you and you haven’t already registered.) But this won’t be a first, for 16 and 17-years-olds, all around the United Kingdom, will have an earlier opportunity to cast their vote – in the European Greens primary election, now open and continuing until January 28. Anyone aged 16 or over, who can indicate with a simple tick that they support the Greens principles, is entitled to cast their ballot – an opening up of democracy that is another European first.
The Green Party of England and Wales has long been a leader in promoting votes for 16-year-olds, believing that young people should have a say in their own future, and that encouraging involvement in the political system is critically important for our democratic future.
It’s the first time any of the major European groups (the Greens/EFA group is the fourth-largest in the parliament – you might like to note that the Tories belong to the fifth-largest) has selected lead candidate(s) by such an open, democratic procedure. (The other groups have simply anointed from within.)
The selected two candidates – for the Green Party has maintained its long tradition of ensuring female representation by having two lead candidates, at least one of whom will be female – will be the “face” of the European campaign.
Full Article: The European Green primary experiment | openDemocracy.