Young people as voters

All Italian citizens who have reached the age of 18 are automatically registered in the voter’s lists. This age limit applies to all elections (national, local, European) and referendum. Since 2022, the age of the active electorate for the Senate was reduced from 25 to 18. Citizens who are unable to reach the polling station (sick people, prisoners) have access to assistance in order to exercise their right to vote. For the first time, in June 2025 a pilot scheme allowing off-site voters to exercise their right to vote during referendums was introduced by Decree-Law No. 27/2025.  This allowed voters who, for reasons of study, work, or medical treatment, were temporarily residing in a municipality located in a province different from that of the municipality where they are registered to vote, to exercise their right to vote.

Italian citizens residing abroad, who are enrolled in the Public Register of Italian Residents Abroad (Anagrafe Italiani Residenti all’Estero) may vote by correspondence through the Embassy. This applies to national and European elections, as well as referendums. For local elections, they may obtain a discount on public transportation (plane, rail).

In case of elections, the volunteers of the Universal Civic Service deployed outside their place of residence are given permits and free transport to reach the polling station. The rules contained in the “Discipline of relations between voluntary organizations and operators of the Universal Civic Service”, approved with D.P.C.M. of 14 January 2019, provide in paragraph 8, the possibility of using days (from 1 to 3 days in relation to the distance between the place of residence and the place of civic service) to exercise the right to vote. Volunteers may also obtain permission to act as the President or Secretary of the polling station, poll clerk or list representative.

The Italian poll turnout figures for all elections are aggregated, therefore data regarding youth participation is not available. 

Young people as political representatives

The minimum age to run as Member of Parliament is 25 years for the Chamber of Deputies, and 40 years for the Senate.

The minimum age to join a political party varies from 14 to 16 years depending on the different statutes and internal regulations of the party. There are no "quotas" or specific arrangements in favour of young candidates.

Composition of the Chamber of Deputies further to the last national elections (2022) by age group

Composition of the Senate by age group