Voting age lowered in 1974

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing reduced the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 years shortly after becoming President of the Republic in 1974, marking a significant change in French electoral law.

Proposal to lower voting age further

Discussions have recently emerged about lowering the voting age to 16 years, an idea that has been circulating for some time and has gained attention in recent political debates.

Support from political figures

During the early stages of their presidential campaigns in response to the student movement in autumn 2026, figures such as François Ruffin and Dominique de Villepin expressed support for the proposal to lower the voting age to 16.

Debates on youth political maturity

The proposal has sparked debates about whether 16-year-old high school students are politically mature enough to vote, and what themes would be more effectively represented in public discussions if they were allowed to participate.

Concerns about voting participation

There are also concerns about whether young people aged 18-24 are sufficiently engaged in voting before extending the right to those aged 16 and 17, given that only 75 percent of this age group voted in the 2022 presidential election.

Voting gap between age groups

The gap in voting participation between younger and older age groups became more pronounced in the subsequent legislative elections, with only 35 percent of those aged 18-24 voting compared to more than 70 percent of those aged 60-64.