Close to 50 members of the German parliament's lower house want German citizens to have voting rights from the day they are born. They hope that this will act as a counterbalance to the 'greying' of the German population.

The MPs believe it is unfair that 14 million Germans are prevented from helping to make decisions about their country simply by virtue of their age. Scrapping the age limit, they argue, will give families more influence.

The idea has reappeared on the agenda following remarks by former president Roman Herzog. He warned that a democracy of retirees existed in Germany, one that gave the ageing majority most say in the nation's affairs. In 2050, it is estimated that more than half the German population will be over retirement age.

Opponents of the plan believe that it will only help people with children. They say that voting rights for everyone are, in effect, only voting rights for families.

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