French-speaking Belgium considers lowering the voting age as part of a drive to give young people a better, stronger voice in politics and decisions that affect their lives.
On Tuesday, Minister for Youth Valérie Lescrenier (Les Engagés) announced plans to organise youth assemblies, create a platform where young people can share their ideas, and open discussions about their role in elections.
The youth assemblies, known as États généraux de la Jeunesse, will bring together young people, local organisations, and public officials to discuss their concerns and expectations.
The new platform, managed by the Forum des Jeunes, will also allow young people to share their opinions and suggestions throughout the year, rather than only during special events.
The minister also wants to examine whether the voting age should be lowered and look at how schools and other organisations could help young people better understand democracy.
However, no decision has yet been made on changing the voting age, and no timetable has been announced.
Giving students a voice in schools
Education Minister Valérie Glatigny (MR) is also encouraging secondary schools to give pupils more opportunities to speak about their experiences.
Under the proposal, schools could set aside two to four class periods for discussions between students, teachers and school management. Pupils would be invited to explain the difficulties they face, what they expect from their schools and what they would like to change.
The initiative was presented to education representatives on 13 October and would respect each school's freedom to decide how to organise the discussions.
