Rossi defends young people's vote initiative

National lawmaker Agustín Rossi defended today the new legislation initiative launched this month in the Lower House of Congress, that if passed into law could see sixteen year olds and foreigners able to vote in the next Argentine presidential election.

Rossi said today that “those who were against the broadening of the right to vote always invoke supposed electoral objectives,” referring to those put forward this argument to reject the initiative that seeks to allow 16-year-olds to vote.

“All broadening of the right to vote will generate debate. There are those who support it and those who criticize it,” the national deputy said.

Rossi made the statements in an interview published in a local newspaper, where he highlighted the positive aspects of the different draft bills put forward by Senator Aníbal Fernández and Deputies Jorge Yoma and Diana Conti.

“Not only are they putting something forward that is correct in the socio-political context that Argentina is currently experiencing, but also they are instigating a more-than-interesting debate in reference to young people, their rights and obligations,” the pro-government lawmaker said.

If the laws in question are approved, they would expand Argentina’s electorate by three million voters, or 10 percent, and make it among the world’s most permissive countries in terms of voting rights. It would also allow foreigners with two years’ permanent residency to cast ballots.