Forthcoming policy developments

Currently, there are no significant forthcoming policy developments directly related to youth participation in Spain. However, discussions continue on several issues of relevance that could impact future reforms.

Ongoing debates

Legal voting age

In recent years, there has been a push to lower the voting age to 16 years old, aligning it with the age of criminal adulthood. This debate is part of the broader discussions on youth participation and is included in the Action Plan 22-24 of the 2030 Youth Strategy. The Spanish Youth Council (CJE) and the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumers and Agenda 2030 have both expressed support for this change, aiming to increase youth engagement in the political process. Despite several votes in the Congress of Deputies (the last time in 2022), the proposal has failed to gain sufficient consensus, with the latest attempt in 2022 not resulting in approval.

Strengthening youth involvement in the EU

Additionally, under Spain's presidency of the EU in 2023, the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumers and Agenda 2030 underlined that there is a will to concretise the participation of young people both in the EU decision-making process and in the design of public policies, with special emphasis on mental health.