Sign up for the editor's
weekly newsletter
- Germany edition
- Change edition:
- France |
- Norway |
- Sweden |
- Switzerland
Reader Offer
February 8, 2012
German MPs demand voting rights for children
Published: 9 Jul 08 08:25 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/politics/20080709-12959.html
More than 40 German deputies on Tuesday proposed that the voting age be lowered to birth to give children a say in the country’s political future, the parliamentary press service said.
“At the moment some 14 million Germans are denied the right to vote, purely because of their age,” the 46 members of parliament said in a discussion document tabled in the legislature.
They proposed that parents be allowed to vote for their offspring, until such time that the children felt they were ready to cast ballots themselves. Markus Loening, a member of the Free Democrats (FDP), had argued in January that the time had come to give more importance to children’s place in society at a time when Germany is concerned about its aging population and low birthrate. The MPs cited “numerous studies” which they said have found that it is in the public interest that children and adolescents be allowed to exercise political rights.
The voting age in Germany was lowered in the 1970s from 21 to 18 years. It is enshrined in the constitution but the deputies said this was “not irrevocable” and did not pose an unsurmountable obstacle to their proposal.
AFP (news@thelocal.de)
Fark It!
Digg This
Share everywhere
Send to a friend
Printable version
Twitter ThisToday's headlines
Syrian spy suspects arrested in Berlin
German police arrested two men in Berlin Tuesday accused of spying on opponents of the Syrian regime in raids involving some 70 officers, federal prosecutors said. READ »
Lost ancient artefacts found after 50 years
Nearly 50 ancient artefacts have been returned to the Bode Museum, Berlin, decades after being looted by Soviet soldiers. The find has sparked hope that more objects lost during the war will turn up. READ (2 COMMENTS) »
Frozen kraut jam leaves autobahn drivers sauer
An accident involving two trucks, a car and a large quantity of sauerkraut caused a 10-kilometre traffic jam on the A5 motorway in the German state of Hesse on Tuesday morning after the German delicacy froze solid on the road. READ (5 COMMENTS) »
Sex helps 'keep you young' in old age
Staying sexually active in old age keeps your brain ticking, according to a recent study in which 70 percent of those Germans over 75 said they were happy with their antics between the sheets. READ (7 COMMENTS) »
Hoeneß: Bayern saved Dortmund with €2 mln
With Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich battling it out for top spot in the German league title race, Bayern's Uli Hoeneß has revealed they loaned Dortmund €2 million to help save their rivals from bankruptcy. READ »
Virus lays low thousands of farm animals
Thousands of cows, sheep and goats have been infected with a flu-like virus across Germany, with the number of infected herds increasing sharply over the weekend. READ (8 COMMENTS) »
Germans jailed in UK for owning terrorist material
Two German men were jailed in Britain on Monday after pleading guilty to possessing articles from an al-Qaida magazine. READ (17 COMMENTS) »
Wulff case 'a chance to open up German politics'
As President Christian Wulff remains mired in allegations of impropriety, anti-corruption group Transparency International (TI) has called for politicians to use the case as a chance to open up German politics. READ »
More Politics
- 07/02 Wulff case 'a chance to open up German politics' »
- 06/02 Sarkozy looks to Merkel for re-election help (3 comments) »
- 05/02 Wulff under fire over car lease deal (11 comments) »
- 04/02 Politician slammed for remarks on Sharia courts (30 comments) »
- 03/02 Cake in the face for 'Baron Cut-and-Paste' (17 comments) »
- 03/02 Most Germans want president to resign (4 comments) »
- 02/02 UK eurosceptic sparks uproar with Nazi jibe (33 comments) »
- 02/02 Merkel urges China to press Iran over nukes (2 comments) »
- 01/02 Wulff faces new claims of improprieties (1 comment) »
- 31/01 Merkel pushes through EU fiscal pact (13 comments) »
Highlights
See all ads | Join the Marketplace
-
British Corner Shop
British Corner Shop is the online supermarket for British Expats. -
Greenback Expat Tax Services
US expat tax preparation services for American owned companies in Germany -
KFZ-Sachverstaendigenbuero Detlef Buchwald
I am an unaffiliated and impartial automotive appraiser -
British Allsorts
Your Corner shop in Munich -
Keith Tanner
Your British financial adviser in Berlin -
Get Grocery
Online shop for wide range of authentic Indian food in Germany/EU -
Greenback Expat Tax Services
US expat tax preparation services, specializing in Americans living in Germany
Sponsored Links
- EXPATTAX - German tax advice in English language - nationwide
- Dolores - Berlin's best California-style burritos!
- Learn German in Germany at one of the largest German schools in Berlin: ESL IH Berlin – booking made easy with ESL – Sprachreisen
- Hundreds of job opportunities for foreign professionals in Germany
- Translation and English writing services
- Find the right relationship
- Your advertisement here
Jobs in Germany, in English
1073 jobs available
681 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today
- Regional Loss Prevention Manager - Flexible Location (m/f)
- Regional Loss Prevention Manager - Flexible Location (m/f)
- Regional Loss Prevention Manager - Flexible Location (m/f)
- Executive Assistant (m/f)
- Director Operations / General Manager (m/f)
- Executive Assistant (m/f)
- Regional IT Manager (Western Germany Facilities) (m/f)
- Contract Risk Attorney (f/m)
- Attorney Hydraulics - EMEA
- Senior Clinical Research Associate (m/f)
Blog
- Feb/07 Do you like home-made Rock’n Roll with your fries?
- Nov/25 Hop on hop off Berlin
- Nov/25 Shopping in Berlin
- Nov/25 Typical Berlin
- Nov/25 I lost my heart in Kastanienallee
Essentials
Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your
style? Find a German sweetheart here.
Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather
section.
Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.
Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of
charge.
Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.
Register
Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss
News from the Goethe-Institut
- Celebrating the Moment – Against Asceticism
Abstinence is ideologically in vogue. - Little Hollywood am Main: The LUCAS International Children’s Film Festival
LUCAS is Germany’s oldest children’s film festival. - How Globally Aware Are the Germans? – Foreign news on television
Which countries and regions are viewers interested in? A major international research project focussed on these question. - Communication with the Readers – Editorial Staff and Web 2.0
In recent years, interactive platforms including blogs, Facebook and Twitter have made once passive readers into active reviewers and critics. - Reading as a “never-ending journey into your own psyche” – The Chamisso Prize Winner Michael StavariĨ
In 2012 Michael StavariĨ was awarded the Adelbert von Chamisso Prize as an “outstanding figure in contemporary literary life”.
News from Young Germany
- Weimar has the best international university in Germany
The Bauhaus University in Weimar, Thuringia, describes itself as being eager to experiment, open... - New law clears way for recognition of degrees and training earned abroad
The Upper House of the German Parliament, the Bundesrat, has approved groundbreaking legislation... - Deutsche Literatur im Netz
Wer sich im Ausland für deutsche Literatur interessierte, hatte es früher nicht immer leicht, an... - German research vessel begins Antarctic expedition
The Polarstern—a German research vessel operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and... - Science - a powerhouse of ideas
Scientific insights that can change our world are at the centre of a special scientific conference...
News from DeutschlandOnline
- Fewer animal experiments thanks to nanosensors
Countless mice, rats and rabbits die every year in the name of science – and the situation is... - German employers split over campaign to ban smoking breaks
Employers in Germany have launched a campaign to ban all smoking in the workplace, not just... - Marine Research in Kiel is heading towards new shores
Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel established On January 1, 2012 the former Leibniz... - Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle: Laying down ambitious and binding rules for the euro
Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle issued the following statement in Berlin today (11...
Noticeboard
Toytown Germany
- 04:19 Advice on choosing where to live in Germany
- 03:17 Klarmobil prepaid mobile phone SIM cards
- 02:31 Family History?
- 02:17 Denglish - mixing up German and English
- 01:47 Bathroom water pipes are frozen
- 00:40 Dealing with window condensation
- 00:34 Need to register Meldeamt in Düsseldorf
- 00:29 Customs and import tax on personal belongings
- 00:13 Unfair zeugnis grade in English
- 23:43 US visa laywer sought in Berlin
Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
