Mandatory voting to apply to young Belgians in upcoming European elections

Belgians aged 16 and 17 will be obliged to vote in the European elections on 9 June, after a previous law that made it optional for them was struck down by the Constitutional Court this week.

The court ruled that the difference in treatment between adult and under-age voters “does not appear to be justified by overriding reasons in the public interest”.

According to the court, the harm that would result from the organisation of the European elections on 9 June on an unconstitutional basis is serious.

The court therefore suspended the provisions of the act of 25 December 2023 which stipulated that only people of full adult age are required to vote in the European elections.

As a result of this suspension, 16 and 17 year olds are also obliged to vote in the European elections and may be penalised if they do not.

Minors who have to vote in the European elections will receive an invitation to attend, according to Belgium’s interior minister, as they will be automatically entered on the electoral roll.

The minister added that the same penalties imposed on adults cannot be applied to minors, so is therefore asking justice minister Paul Van Tigchelt to find a solution.