Austria Lowers the Voting Age to 16

Vienna (dpa) - Teenagers from the age of 16 will be able to vote in national elections, Austria's government decided on Wednesday.

The voting age would be lowered from the present 18 as part of a large scale "democracy reform" pursued by Austria's coalition government.

The ruling coalition of Social Democrats and the conservative People's Party also decided on extending the coalition's term from four to five years and facilitating letter votes.

Austria's parliament still has to ratify the changes, which it is expected to do before summer.

Social Democrat Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer said the decision was a "challenge to Austria's school system" in the field of political education.

Andrea Kdolsky, conservative minister for youth affairs, said on state radio Austria's teenagers were mature enough to vote at 16.

Conservative deputy chancellor Wilhelm Molterer said the decision also reflected Austria's ageing society which made it necessary for political parties to approach the younger generation more robustly.

Austria = win

Liesl von Trapp can vote now!

Although she's got to be in her eighties by now if she's still alive.

You fail at the Sound of Music.