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| Last hurdle for votes at 16 in Welsh assembly elections | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A law giving 16-year-olds the vote in Welsh assembly elections will face its final hurdle on Wednesday. | |
| Assembly Members will vote on the Senedd and Elections Bill - 40 out of 60 need to back the law for it to pass. | Assembly Members will vote on the Senedd and Elections Bill - 40 out of 60 need to back the law for it to pass. |
| It will add about 70,000 people to the electoral roll - the biggest extension to who can vote in Wales for 50 years. | It will add about 70,000 people to the electoral roll - the biggest extension to who can vote in Wales for 50 years. |
| The bill will also give the assembly two names - Senedd Cymru and Welsh Parliament - after a row about what the institution should be called. | |
| AMs will be renamed as Members of the Senedd, while foreign nationals resident in Wales will also be given the vote in Senedd elections. | AMs will be renamed as Members of the Senedd, while foreign nationals resident in Wales will also be given the vote in Senedd elections. |
| While Labour and Plaid Cymru are expected to support the law, the Conservatives and Brexit Party are planning to vote it down. | While Labour and Plaid Cymru are expected to support the law, the Conservatives and Brexit Party are planning to vote it down. |
| Votes from Plaid, Labour backbench AMs and government ministers should be enough to get the bill through the 40-member threshold needed. | |
| The assembly was given the power over the institution's own affairs including elections in 2017, as long as two-thirds of the members agree to any changes. | The assembly was given the power over the institution's own affairs including elections in 2017, as long as two-thirds of the members agree to any changes. |
| Once passed the bill will become law in January, with 16 and 17-year-olds able to vote for the first time in Wales at the Senedd elections in 2021. | Once passed the bill will become law in January, with 16 and 17-year-olds able to vote for the first time in Wales at the Senedd elections in 2021. |
| The Welsh Government has separate plans to extend the electorate who can vote in the next council elections. | The Welsh Government has separate plans to extend the electorate who can vote in the next council elections. |
| The assembly's name would be due to change in May 2020. | The assembly's name would be due to change in May 2020. |
| "Lowering the voting age to 16 will give young people a stronger voice in the future of our nation," assembly presiding officer Elin Jones said in 2018. | "Lowering the voting age to 16 will give young people a stronger voice in the future of our nation," assembly presiding officer Elin Jones said in 2018. |
| The original bill had proposed changing the name to Senedd, while saying it could also be known as the Welsh Parliament. | The original bill had proposed changing the name to Senedd, while saying it could also be known as the Welsh Parliament. |
| But ministers felt the wording was confusing, and amendments by former First Minister Carwyn Jones backing a bilingual name passed with Welsh Government support in October. | But ministers felt the wording was confusing, and amendments by former First Minister Carwyn Jones backing a bilingual name passed with Welsh Government support in October. |
| Plaid Cymru had tried to change the name to simply Senedd, arguing it transcended language barriers, but despite some Labour support the bid was unsuccessful. | Plaid Cymru had tried to change the name to simply Senedd, arguing it transcended language barriers, but despite some Labour support the bid was unsuccessful. |
| Carwyn Jones said it was not clear everyone understood Senedd. | Carwyn Jones said it was not clear everyone understood Senedd. |
| He said he would use the term himself, but his amendments made it clear in law that Senedd Cymru meant the Welsh Parliament. | He said he would use the term himself, but his amendments made it clear in law that Senedd Cymru meant the Welsh Parliament. |
| Senedd, which is already the name of the building that houses the assembly debating chamber, is the Welsh word for parliament. | Senedd, which is already the name of the building that houses the assembly debating chamber, is the Welsh word for parliament. |
| Plaid Cymru AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said his party had been successful in ensuring AMs in the future "will be known as Aelod o'r Senedd/Member of the Senedd". | Plaid Cymru AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said his party had been successful in ensuring AMs in the future "will be known as Aelod o'r Senedd/Member of the Senedd". |
| "So, in effect, we've won the debate on what the institution will be called from today," he said. | "So, in effect, we've won the debate on what the institution will be called from today," he said. |
| The Presiding Officer Elin Jones and the deputy Presiding Officer Ann Jones do not usually vote but will be able to for this bill. | The Presiding Officer Elin Jones and the deputy Presiding Officer Ann Jones do not usually vote but will be able to for this bill. |
| Brexit Party group leader Mark Reckless said: "While we would like the assembly to adopt a bilingual name with Welsh Parliament being the English version, we cannot support the franchise changes proposed." | Brexit Party group leader Mark Reckless said: "While we would like the assembly to adopt a bilingual name with Welsh Parliament being the English version, we cannot support the franchise changes proposed." |
| Conservative AM Darren Millar has been among those opposing extending the franchise - in a previous debate he said "many 16 and 17-year-olds simply do not feel confident enough to make decisions about who runs their country". | Conservative AM Darren Millar has been among those opposing extending the franchise - in a previous debate he said "many 16 and 17-year-olds simply do not feel confident enough to make decisions about who runs their country". |