Lucerne Voters to Decide on Lowering Age for Municipal Requests to 14

Lucerne voters will decide on 29 November on a proposal to lower the minimum age for submitting municipal population requests from 18 to 14 years. Under the proposed amendment to the municipal code, teenagers would be able to bring policy proposals directly to the city parliament if they collect 200 supporting signatures.

The initiative originates from a 2021 motion submitted by the Social Democratic Party (SP). The population request functions as a civic instrument between a popular initiative and a parliamentary motion, allowing any eligible resident, including foreign nationals holding a C settlement permit, to sign or initiate proposals.

Supporters and opponents both emphasize that the measure does not establish voting age 16, which voters in the canton of Lucerne rejected in 2025. The city parliament would retain full decision-making authority over any submitted requests, while the official voting age would remain at 18. SP politician Yannick Gauch, who co-launched the original motion, stated that teenagers in secondary school face decisions regarding career paths and societal issues that adult politicians frequently overlook.

The Swiss People's Party (SVP) represents the sole major political group opposing the revision. SVP city party president Marko Hotz stated that 14 years is too young for formal political participation, arguing that many teenagers at that age are primarily focused on personal development during puberty. The party advocates relying exclusively on the existing local youth parliament, which Hotz said offers participants a comprehensive view of parliamentary and administrative processes.

Academic research supports broader youth engagement, according to Monika Waldis, head of the Centre for Political Education and History Didactics at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. Waldis stated that studies consistently show a strong desire for political participation among young people, which is often limited by a lack of available instruments. Gauch noted that while the youth parliament serves an important function, not all teenagers have the time or desire to participate in a formal organization, making the population request a lower-threshold option.

If approved by voters, the change to the municipal code will take effect on 1 March 2027. The measure would grant political access to approximately 2,300 residents aged 14 to 18 in the city of Lucerne. Over the past ten years, city residents have submitted roughly 20 population requests.

Written by Andreas Hofer andreas.hofer@alpineweekly.com