Two bills concerning voting rights for 17-year-olds and automatic voter registration will be presented to the plenary session of the House of Representatives on May 22, following their unanimous approval by the Parliamentary Committee on Interior Affairs.
If passed, the provisions will come into effect for the 2028 Presidential Elections, according to Aristos Damianou, AKEL MP and Chairman of the Interior Committee, who made the announcement following Thursday’s committee meeting.
Damianou added that these bills would also receive support from other political parties not represented on the committee.
“There are various procedural issues which we will discuss within the day at the meeting of party leaders, but the Interior Committee has now completed its work for the time being,” he noted.
The committee chairman explained that several issues remain under discussion, including horizontal voting, postal voting, and the status of refugees through maternal lineage.
“Discussions will continue, but to meet our commitment to pass legislation at least one year before the May 2026 elections, these bills will be sent to the plenary next week,” he said.
Damianou clarified that lowering the voting age to 17 requires a constitutional amendment. “If this regulation is approved, then a second plenary session won’t be necessary—everything will be done on May 22,” he explained.
The Interior Committee chairman concluded by noting that the committee is currently examining 12 bills and legislative proposals that represent the consolidation of more than 30 separate documents.
(information from CNA)
