5.10 Current debates and reforms
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Instituto de la Juventud de España
Spanish Institute for Youth
C/ José Ortega y Gasset 71
ES-28006 Madrid
Tel: +34 917 827 602
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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.
In 2025, the Ministry of Youth and Infancia (MJUI) announced that the draft Law of Youth will include the expansion of the right to vote from age 16. This change would require amending Spain’s Law on General Electoral Regime (LOREG).
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 the commitment to strengthen the participation of young people both in the EU decision-making process and in the design of public policies, especially regarding mental health. For example, under the presidency, Spain advocated for child and adolescent participation as a priority, hosting the European Meeting on Child and Adolescent Participation to ensure their voices reach community decision-making levels.
Spain has continued to express political support for democratic participation, civic engagement and the role of young people in shaping public life. A recent example is the Government’s statement at the 2024 Summit for Democracy, where Spain reiterated its commitment to youth participation within broader democratic strengthening efforts.