Hungary's PM Péter Magyar proposes lowering voting age to 16 as part of constitutional overhaul
Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced the proposal in a Facebook post on Saturday, linking it to a broader constitutional referendum planned for next summer.
The proposal
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar declared his support for lowering the voting age from 18 to 16, announcing the proposal in a Facebook post on Saturday, 18 July 2026. He argued that young people today are well-informed and ready to participate in national decisions.
The vast majority of people under 18 are sufficiently prepared and informed to have an influence on our common decisions.
Magyar said he would back the change during the drafting of a new constitution, a process his government launched after winning the April 2026 parliamentary elections.
For my part, during the work on the shape of the constitution, I would support lowering the voting age to 16.
Constitutional reform context
The voting age proposal is embedded in a wider constitutional overhaul. In June, Magyar indicated that a referendum on the new constitution could take place as early as next summer, though he stressed that timing is secondary to substance.
It may take longer, but time is not the problem. What matters is quality and content. We want the country to have a constitution that everyone can accept in good faith.
The reform effort follows the parliamentary elections in April 2026 that brought Magyar's government to power. The constitutional process is still in its early stages, with the referendum serving as the eventual ratification mechanism.
- Magyar's government wins parliamentary elections, initiates constitutional reform.
- PM says referendum on new constitution could be held next summer, stresses quality over speed.
- Magyar proposes lowering voting age to 16 in a Facebook post, linking it to the constitutional overhaul.
- Potential referendum on the new constitution, which may include the lowered voting age.
Youth engagement and political renewal
In his Facebook post, Magyar also highlighted a rise in political interest among Hungarians since the change of government. He said that parliamentary sessions and public affairs are now followed by an unprecedented number of citizens.
I am proud that never before have so many people followed parliamentary proceedings or been interested in public life.
He added that politics has become "attractive" again and that young people increasingly feel they can shape Hungary's future. The voting age proposal is framed as a natural extension of this renewed civic engagement.
What comes next
The constitutional drafting process will determine whether the voting age reduction is included in the final text. If it is, Hungarian voters, including potentially 16- and 17-year-olds, would decide on the new constitution in a referendum that Magyar said could be held in the summer of 2027. No legislative timeline has been set beyond that broad window.
