LONDON (AP) — Britain has announced plans to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 before the next national election. The center-left Labour Party pledged before it was elected in July 2024 to lower the voting age for elections to Britain’s Parliament. The government announced the move on Thursday as part of efforts to boost democratic participation. Scotland and Wales already allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in local elections. Britain will join the short list of countries where the voting age is 16, alongside the likes of Austria, Brazil and Ecuador. Additional reforms include automatic voter registration and allowing bank cards as voter ID. Officials also aim to tighten campaign financing rules in an attempt to prevent foreign interference. The changes still require parliamentary approval. The next election is due by 2029.