A proposal to grant voting rights to 17-year-olds, alongside measures to prepare young voters through civic education, has been submitted to the House Interior Committee by DISY MP Averof Neofytou.
The proposed legislation, which has garnered support from student organisations and youth groups, includes provisions for preparing young people to make informed voting decisions through civic education courses.
Neofytou emphasised that if the voting age is lowered to 17, the Education Ministry should implement civic education classes to help students develop political awareness and critical thinking skills.
The proposal received backing from the Pancyprian Confederation of Student Unions (PSEM), the Youth Board, EDON, and DIPA’s youth wing, though they noted that additional youth rights, including trade union participation, should also be considered.
Interior Ministry Director General Elikkos Elia informed the committee that government bills addressing the same issue, including provisions for automatic voter registration affecting approximately 100,000 people, are currently being drafted. He suggested parliament should wait for these bills.
However, both Neofytou and Committee Chairman Aristos Damianou argued that since the proposal aligns with the government’s planned legislation, there was no reason to withdraw or shelve it. They noted that proceeding with the current proposal could save time compared to waiting for the government bills to undergo legal vetting.
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