Neuchâtel voters were not following the example of Glarus more than ten years ago to introduce the minimum voting age of 16.
Keystone / Cyril Zingaro
The minimum voting age will not be lowered to 16 in canton Neuchâtel, dampening hopes of introducing youth suffrage at a national level in Switzerland.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/urs
An initiative by the left-wing Social Democratic Party was thrown out by 58.5% of the vote on Sunday, according to the cantonal chancellery.
Neuchâtel was only the second canton (out of 26 cantons) to decide on voting age 16 following Glarus where the open-air assembly approved a similar project in 2007.
Moves are also underway in other regions and at a national level, both in parliament and from civil society.
The current minimum voting age of 18 – the age of legal consent in Switzerland – was introduced nationwide following a public vote in 1991.
Supporters of youth suffrage say it could boost the chances of political participation among the younger generation, while opponents argue teenagers aren’t ready to deal with sometimes complex issues.
Research has shown that only about 30% of the 18-29-year-olds in Switzerland take part in votes and elections. The national average is about 45%.
Detailed turnout figures about the October parliamentary elections are expected to be published next month.
More
More
Who can vote in Switzerland? Who can’t?
This content was published on
Ahead of parliamentary elections on October 20, swissinfo.ch looks at the third of the Swiss resident population that is disenfranchised.
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
This content was published on
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
This content was published on
Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
Switzerland ‘deeply concerned’ by Trump’s death penalty order
This content was published on
Switzerland has told the UN Human Rights Council that it is "deeply concerned" by US President Donald Trump's recent executive order to strengthen capital punishment at federal and state level.
Blatter, Platini return to court for new fraud trial over CHF2 million FIFA payment
This content was published on
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini appeared in court in Switzerland on Monday accused of fraud - 2.5 years after they were cleared.
Israel criticises Swiss decision to host Middle East conference in Geneva on Friday
This content was published on
Israel has condemned Switzerland for planning to host a meeting on international humanitarian law in the Middle East next Friday in Geneva.
Centre Party’s Franziska Biner elected to Valais government
This content was published on
Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland elected Franziska Biner to the cantonal government in the first round of voting, beating off more established politicians.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
A revolution that slipped under the radar?
This content was published on
Ten years ago, voters in Glarus decided to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 - a move that has produced some young and highly active politicians.
This content was published on
Student climate strikers are also calling for the voting age to be lowered. Politician Adrian Spahr is against such a move.
This content was published on
Youth should be allowed access to the ballot box to make their voices heard on issues like climate change, argues a children's rights lawyer.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.