State of Lux

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

http://hello.news352.lu/edito-105323-foreigners-get-the-green-light-to-vote.html

A new law in Luxembourg will extend voting rights to foreigners who've lived in the country for five years. The real kicker is that this will apply to 43% of the population of Luxembourg. The voting age will also be lowered to sixteen.

First of all, in this day and age it's really refreshing to see something that actually GOOD happening in politics. Especially given how in recent years there's been a real spike in xenophobia worldwide and foreigners are always at the front in taking it when that happens. I'm also impressed the that Luxembourg government was willing to do this what with such a large part of the population being foreign-born. That could lead a real shake up in the political system down the road. But I'm not up on Luxembourg politics so I'll leave it at that.

So good for Luxembourg. A lot of other countries could learn from their example.

Comments

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

There's some "slight" difference between those college students and those you've seen in the US. ;)

[thies.livejournal.com]

it might balance out the senile and lving in the past >70 year old voters

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

And conservatives.

[luvdovz.livejournal.com]

It's a logical step, if they want to remain relevant to the new dynamics of their society. Immigrants comprise a significant portion of the Luxembourgian population.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

Sixteen??

I was stupid enough at 18, I can't imagine what kind of bad decisions I'd have been endorsing at 16.

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

Indeed!

Back then I was a libertarian!!!!

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

I'm stupid now, what's your point? :-P

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Best example I ever heard about that was a few years ago a fellow was signing in at his local voting station, a girl, who was clearly just over 18, walked in and shouted "Eminem sent me here! Now let's vote!"

[debergerac.livejournal.com]

dunno, but i suspect justin bieber will get a lot of votes.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Why need to vote at all? I advocate for a Father-Knows-Best state.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

If only it were as simple as Nation States.

[tridus.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure why this is a good thing. Your average sixteen year old hasn't got a bloody clue about politics, or consequences of anything past their facebook friends page.

Not that your average twenty year old is much better, but that's no excuse. If anything we should be restricting voting rights more, not expanding them to every moron we can find.

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

> Your average sixteen year old hasn't got a bloody clue about politics

this makes them different from the average population, how?

Man... why is everyone focusing so much on this? I was very political in high school. Many of my peer group also were. It's not impossible, its just not the norm. Worried about the political decisions from the politically disinterested? Don't be... the disinterested filter themselves out.

But disinterest in and ignorance about politics is the norm irrespective of age group. The franchise isn't extended to people because they have obtained some sort of political competency. It's extended to insure that the government is a consensus of the governed, as wrongheaded as that consensus may sometimes be.

Sure, there are good reasons that children can't vote... but there are good reasons that young adults can and should. It's just a sharp, arbitrary line that codifies a fuzzy gradient. We draw it at 18... they're choosing to draw it a bit sooner... it's not like 18 is MAGIC.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

What does knowing about politics have to do with voting for your interests? Like I give a shit about the wider-world of politics. I want what I want and I vote for it. I gets what I gets.

I'm amazed at all the authoritarian and deeply disturbing responses in this post.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?ns=1&f=20&t=93036&p=4589775#p4589775

Some jerk posted this on the Nation States forum as their own words. So now we've got plagiarists in addition to spamming Russians. Wonderful...

[debergerac.livejournal.com]

"snake brotherhood" does give the lj link now...

[mrsilence.livejournal.com]

Americans worried about 16 year olds voting?

And here I was thinking that the benefit of voluntary voting was that only those who were interested and informed would vote.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

The uninformed vote far too often. Why else did you think so many jackasses get elected?

[harry-beast.livejournal.com]

Voting is the ultimate expression of political power and should be reserved for people who have made a commitment to the country, e.g. by applying for citizenship. And five years? It isn't really all that much time.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Depends on some things. Since the gov't makes rules that apply to everyone living there, having the requirement be residency instead of citizenship isn't that illogical.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

When I was 16 I would have voted for JFK and hated Nixon with a passion. (altho I think I was only 14 then)
When I was 22 (voting age was 21 in those days) I voted for Nixon...go figure.

(at least I backed winners)

[anfalicious.livejournal.com]

I'm in favour of dropping the voting age to 16, it means you can engage kids in democracy in a school environment in a much more real and effective sense. This would hopefully translate to more lifelong engagement in politics.

I'm also in favour of letting long term non-citizen residents vote. If they've been there 5 years surely they should have a say in how they're governed.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

I'm in favor of engaging kids in science by letting them control the ops board at the local nuclear power plant. That ought to help us greatly expand their interest in science. What's the worst that could happen?