22 May 2011

Young voters encouraged in Bremen

1:59 pm on 22 May 2011

Sixteen year olds are able to vote in a city-state election on Sunday for the first time in German history.

The Social Democrat Party has lowered the voting age in Bremen to interest younger people in politics.

Sports stars and politicians have taken part in a campaign to persuade teenagers to participate, and students have been taught in school how to fill in ballot papers.

However, there are only 10,000 eligible 16 and 17-year-old voters in the electorate of 500,000.

The SDP has ruled the city since 1945.