Children in power: are children entitled to the right to stand for public office?

Abstract

This article seeks to address the gap in the literature concerning the right to stand for office by establishing that all children are entitled to run for elections. Following a thorough review of the literature on children's participatory rights, this article identifies children's representation as a leading factor in legitimising democracy. Furthermore, it addresses concerns regarding children’s competence and practicality issues to guarantee that the realisation of this right does not result in an immoral outcome. Finally, deliberative democracy is considered as an alternative to representative systems, where children can influence policy-making without requiring their assimilation into the adult world.