16 and Fit to Shape a Nation's Future? Germans Are Locked in Heated Debate

Have you ever felt this way?

Adults are constantly discussing 'big issues' at the dinner table – house prices, policy, international relations. And you, as a young person, are bursting with countless ideas: perhaps anxiety about environmental problems or dissatisfaction with the education system. Yet, as soon as you open your mouth, you're met with the familiar refrain: "You're too young, you don't understand."

It's as if an invisible line has been drawn, demarcating the boundary between 'adults' and 'children'. On one side of the line, you have no right to question; on the other, you're the undisputed decision-maker.

So, where exactly should this line be drawn? At 18, 20, or... 16?

Recently, Germans have been fiercely debating this very issue: whether the voting age should be lowered from 18 to 16.

A Dispute Over the 'Family Key'

We can imagine a country as a large family, and the right to vote as a 'family key'.

In the past, this key was held only by the 'parents' (older citizens). They decided everything in the house: the decor style (urban planning), utility bills (public budget), and even the air conditioning settings (environmental policy).

Meanwhile, the 'children' (the younger generation) also lived there and would continue to live there for decades to come, but they didn't have a key. They could only passively accept the parents' decisions.

But now, the 'children' are no longer putting up with it.

Global young people, led by environmental activist Greta Thunberg, have demonstrated through their actions how much they care about the future of their 'home'. They have taken to the streets, calling for attention to climate change – after all, if the 'house' gets hotter and hotter in the future because of adult decisions, it's they who will suffer the most, as they'll be living in it for the longest.

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' (such as Germany's Green Party and Social Democratic Party) proposed: "Why don't we give a key to 16-year-olds too? Since they care so much about this home, they should have a say."

This proposal immediately sparked an uproar at the 'family meeting'.

The opposing 'parents' were full of concerns: "16? Have they truly thought it through? Won't they be easily misled? Won't they just be thinking about partying (making irresponsible votes), and make a complete mess of the house?"

Does this sound familiar? It's an upgraded version of "You're too young, you don't understand."

The Right to Shape the Future Has Never Been a Given

Interestingly, historically, the criteria for 'who qualifies for the key' have constantly changed.

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 also fought for this right. Even later, in 1970, the voting age was lowered from 20 to 18.

You see, 'maturity' has never been a fixed biological standard, but rather an evolving social consensus.

A democratic studies scholar incisively pointed out: "The issue of voting rights is, in essence, a power struggle."

Of course, political parties that support lowering the age hope to win young people's votes. But the deeper significance is that when a society starts discussing 'whether to grant 16-year-olds the right to vote', it is actually re-evaluating a more fundamental question:

Do we truly believe in our next generation?

Instead of Asking 'Are You Ready?', Give Them Responsibility to Help Them Prepare

Let's return to the 'family key' analogy.

Our concern is that 16-year-olds will misuse the key once they have it. But have we considered another possibility?

It is precisely because you give them the key that they begin to truly learn how to assume the responsibilities of a 'family member'.

When they know their vote can influence community environments and school resources, they will be more motivated to understand these issues, to think, and to judge. Rights foster responsibility. Trust itself is the best education.

Therefore, the crux of the matter may not be whether "16-year-olds are mature enough," but rather whether "we are willing to help them become more mature by empowering them."

This debate happening in Germany is actually a challenge facing the entire world. It concerns not just a ballot paper, but how we view the future and how we walk alongside the young people who will create it.

And in this globalised era, understanding distant voices and participating in global discussions has become more important than ever before. Fortunately, technology is breaking down barriers. For instance, chat tools like Lingogram with built-in AI translation allow you to easily communicate with friends around the world, whether discussing voting rights in Germany or sharing your views on the future.

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