Before rising for a three-week break for Christmas and New Year, Parliament approved a law which will allow 16- and 17-year-olds to be elected mayors and deputy mayors.

The law was passed with unanimous approval, with both the government and opposition voting in favour.

The law comes after, prior to the 2019 local councils election, Parliament had also approved a law giving 16- and 17-year-olds the right to contest and vote in elections. The local council electoral system establishes that the mayor and deputy mayor are the two candidates who obtain the highest number of votes from the party that wins the majority of seats in the locality.

But, until 2019, if one or both of these were under 18 years of age, they could not serve as mayors and deputy mayors. As from 2024, with the election taking place in June, they can.

The two sides of the House approved the move in spite of the many reservations that were listed in the run-up leading towards the enactment of the bill.

It was argued that people who are legally not considered as adults should not be shouldering such a responsibility. It was highlighted that as they are still “under age”, they cannot sign bank documents without parental approval. It was pointed out that minors should not be placed in sutuations of having to deal with all the pressure that such posts bring with it.

While active participation in community life is encouraged by one and all, running a locality is not an easy matter. It’s one thing to vote, and it’s a completely different matter to serve as mayor or deputy mayor. It was said that the government and the opposition were behaving in a populist manner, looking at this situation rather artificially without considering the implications and repercussions of such a move.

People who have just left obligatory schooling should be considering how to further their studies – 16- and 17-year-olds are in between “O” level examinations and post-secondary schooling – and not involved in election campaigns and, if elected, taking on such important roles. It was emphasised that, at that age, the youngsters are more vulnerable and susceptible to bullying, lobbying and pressure. Will minors be able to withstand the pressure that is put on mayors from the government, the construction industry, pressure groups and individual citizens, it was asked.

In spite of all this, the government, with the support of the opposition, went ahead with the proposition of the law and, now, its enactment.

In six months’ time, we will know if the people approve of it. We already know that political parties are finding it hard to attract new candidates.

When the June 2024 local elections arrive, we will know how many minors are interested in taking part in the administration of their locality and, perhaps more importantly, whether the residents of that locality are ready to give the responsibility of being a mayor or deputy mayor to a 16- and 17-year-old.

The people might be giving an answer that the government and opposition do not want to hear.