Elections are not wasted on the young in EU. Some nations allow 16-year-olds to decide in June polls

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — Teens as young as 16 from five countries will be able to vote in the June 6-9 European Union elections. They add a slice of vigor and life to the campaign in some EU nations and they are a sought-after part of the electorate. Youngsters will need to overcome political apathy if they want a stake in the future of the bloc, where issue like climate and social exclusion will have a big impact on the outcome. Some see the lowering of the minimum voting age as a ploy to get an easy vote from unwitting teens who have barely outgrown childhood. Some vehemently disagree.