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Voting age lowered to 16 in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 1 (UPI) -- The voting age in Argentina has been lowered to 16, allowing 1.5 million more teenagers in the country to, like, vote and stuff.

While the measure passed Argentina's lower house of Parliament overwhelmingly, critics say the measure is just a vote grab ahead of critical midterm elections next year, where President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's party seeks to retain power, CNN reported Thursday.

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"If you ask me what is the worst social problem in Argentina, it is the youth," Rep. Eduardo Amadeo, who opposed the measure, said. "Education is worse. The consumption of drugs is worse. Employment is worse. Things like teen pregnancy, they are much worse than they were at the beginning of this government, and now the government has discovered them and they say, we are going to vote."

Teens themselves were mixed on the issue. Some expressed excitement at being allowed to vote two years sooner. Others said they've already got enough to worry about.

"We are worrying about studies, and once we leave here, we can worry about other things. Read about politics or something else, work," student Santiago Tricario said. "That's why I think personally that it would be better if it were left to people who are over 18 to vote."

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