The cabinet is set to approve legislation lowering the voting age to 17 and introducing automatic voter registration, in what President Nikos Christodoulides called a “historic day for democracy”.
Speaking at today’s cabinet meeting, Christodoulides said the reform aims to strengthen participatory democracy and increase youth engagement in political decision-making.
“We trust our young people and want them to participate in state decisions, to have a voice and role”, Christodoulides said, noting that the change aligns Cyprus with other EU member states.
The government has already introduced digital platforms to encourage youth participation in public affairs and incorporated civic education into pre-school curricula to prepare young people for electoral participation.
If approved by parliament, the new voting age will take effect for the 2026 parliamentary elections.
The reform package includes automatic registration on electoral lists, eliminating the current requirement for citizens to register themselves.
The president urged parliament to act swiftly on the legislation, arguing that young people should have a say in decisions that affect their future.
