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Examination of Opinions on Reducing Young People’s Election Age To 18
JOURNAL OF YOUTH RESEARCHES
the Ottoman Empire. If we look at all these things, I do not think it is correct to make
such an arrangement without eliminating the problems in our education system.”
A participant named “Hüloğ” from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University stated his views
as follows:
‹› People who will elected for the parliament should be sufficient in terms of expe-
rience. I think a person who newly graduated from high school will not be able to
have the potential to do so and defend competently the rights of the people who s/
he has to protect. At the very least, it is necessary to get a university education and
the necessary knowledge. A teenager cannot meet this expectation. The deputy to
be elected has to prove himself. This also happens in a certain amount of time and
with education, and s/he also has to reflect this in her/his speech in the chair of the
parliament. When we look at the current parliamentary environment, we can see some
members of parliament who have performed their jobs properly and who have really
given their years to this work. I think that a very young individual will be passive in this
environment.”
A student with a nickname, “PDR’Cİ” from Ahi Evran University expressed his views
as follows:
‹› I do not think it is right. An individual at the age of 18 is still at the beginning of her
or his life. I think s/he will be inadequate to manage the state in terms of experience,
education and maturity.”
General Opinions on Lowering the Age of Candidacy to 18 in
Terms of Its Influence on the Future Plans of the Youth
It is classified in two ways that the opinions of the youth about lowering the candida-
cy age has influenced their future plans. The first group responded that lowering the
candidacy age has influenced their future aims. The second group thinks that it does
not influence their future plans.
The Opinions that Expressed Lowering the Age of Candidacy to
18 Influences the Future Plans of the Youth
Thirty-one participants had the opinion that lowering the candidacy age would have
an impact on their future goals. Ten from Ahi Evran University, twenty-one from An-
kara’s Yıldırım Beyazıt University have stated that lowering the age of candidacy to 18
influenced their future goals.
