16-Year-Old Voters in 2012?
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax (Greens)
Image: YLE
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax wants to lower the voting age for local elections to 16 before the next round of municipal balloting.
Brax says that making the legislative change within two years is possible if there is sufficient political will.
On Tuesday a panel set up by the Justice Ministry urged that yout voting be arranged on a trial basis. Brax does not feel that a test is needed.
She argues that lowering the voting age would help raise interest in politics among the young, and in the long term boost voter turnout -- which is lower in Finland than in most EU countries.
The next municipal elections are scheduled for October 2012.
YLE