At 16, Are You Qualified to Decide the Nation's Future? Germans Are Already Having a Massive Dust-Up About It.

Ever had that feeling?

Adults always seem to be discussing "big issues" around the dinner table – house prices, policy, international relations. Meanwhile, as a young person, your head's buzzing with countless thoughts – anxiety about environmental problems, dissatisfaction with the education system – but the moment you open your mouth, you're hit with, "You're too young, you don't understand."

It's as if there's an invisible line, defining the boundary between "adults" and "kids". On one side of the line, you have no right to question; on the other, are the self-appointed decision-makers.

So, where should this line actually be drawn? Is it at 18, 20, or… 16?

Recently, Germans have been locked in a fierce debate about exactly this: whether the voting age should be lowered from 18 to 16.

A Squabble Over the "Family Key"

Imagine a nation as one big family, and the right to vote as the "family key".

In the past, this key was only held by the "parents" (older citizens). They decided everything about the home: the décor (urban planning), the utility bills (public budget), and even how high the aircon was set (environmental policy).

Meanwhile, the "kids" of the family (the younger generation), while living there and destined to live there for decades to come, had no key. They simply had to passively accept the parents' decisions.

But now, the "kids" aren't having a bar of it.

Global young people, epitomised by climate activist Greta Thunberg, have proven through their actions how much they care about the future of their "home". They've taken to the streets, calling for action on climate change – after all, if the "house" is going to get hotter and hotter because of adult decisions, it's those who'll be living in it longest who'll feel the pinch the most.

A 2019 survey showed that over 40% of young Germans are "very interested" in politics. They are no longer a "politically apathetic" generation.

So, some enlightened "parents" (like Germany's Green Party and Social Democratic Party) proposed: "How about we give 16-year-olds a copy of the key too? Since they care so much about this home, they should have a say."

This suggestion immediately caused an absolute stir in the "family meeting".

The opposing "parents" were filled with concern: "Sixteen? Have they really thought it through? Won't they be easily swayed? Won't they just think about partying (making irresponsible votes) and make a mess of the place?"

Sound familiar? It's the upgraded version of "You're too young, you don't understand."

The Right to Decide the Future Has Never Been a Given

Interestingly, historically, the criteria for "who gets the key" have always been in flux.

In the 19th-century German Empire, only men over 25 had the right to vote, accounting for just 20% of the total population. Later, women fought for and secured this right. Then, in 1970, the voting age was lowered from 20 to 18.

You see, so-called "maturity" has never been a fixed biological standard, but an ever-evolving social consensus.

One scholar of democracy hit the nail on the head when they pointed out: "The question of voting rights is, at its core, a struggle for power."

The political parties supporting a lower voting age naturally hope to win over young voters. But the deeper significance is that when a society begins to discuss "whether to give 16-year-olds the right to vote," it's actually re-evaluating a more fundamental question:

Do we truly trust our next generation?

Instead of Asking "Are You Ready?", Give Them Responsibility and Let Them Get Ready

Let's go back to that "family key" analogy.

Our worry is that 16-year-olds might misuse the key if given it. But have we considered another possibility?

It's precisely because you give them the key that they truly begin to learn how to shoulder the responsibility of being a "family member".

When they know their single vote can impact their community's environment or school resources, they'll be more motivated to understand these issues, to think, and to judge. Rights foster responsibility. Trust itself is the best educator.

So, perhaps the crux of the issue isn't "are 16-year-olds mature enough?", but rather "are we willing to help them mature by empowering them with rights?"

This debate unfolding in Germany is actually a question the whole world is grappling with. It concerns more than just a single vote; it's about how we view the future and how we walk alongside the young people who are creating that future.

And in this globalised era, understanding voices from afar and participating in global discussions has become more important than ever. Fortunately, technology is breaking down barriers. For instance, chat tools with built-in AI translation like Lingogram make it easy to communicate with friends from all over the world, whether you're discussing voting rights in Germany or sharing your own views on the future.

After all, the future doesn't belong to just one country or one generation. When you can understand each other, that's when the world truly becomes our shared home.