New Zealand to vote on lowering voting age to 16

Deutsche Welle :
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that lawmakers will be asked to vote on lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 following a top-level court decision.
The country’s Supreme Court ruled on Monday that not allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to vote amounted to discrimination, in line with New Zealand’s Bill of Rights.
Ardern said that she supported the move, but campaigners admit that it will be difficult to get the 75% support needed from lawmakers to pass the legislation.
The court’s ruling means that parliament must discuss the issue, but it does not oblige parliament to change the voting age.
Youth campaigners welcome court decision
“I personally support a decrease in the voting age but it is not a matter simply for me or even the government,” the prime minister said. “Any change in electoral law of this nature requires 75% of parliamentarians’ support.”
Campaigners welcomed the decision, with co-director of Make It 16 campaign, Sanat Singh, calling it “a huge day.”
“This is historic not only for our campaign, but for the country,” the 18-year-old said, pointing to an array of issues such as climate change that have an existential impact on young people.