Who are the youngest (and oldest) parliamentarians in world?
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union
As elections unfold throughout this super election year, much of the discussion has revolved around the advanced age of some candidates running for office. However, what about the younger voices that are adding fresh perspectives and energy to the political arena?
The IPU has been meticulously tracking the average age of parliamentarians at national, regional and global levels for many years, becoming the authoritative data reference on youth in parliament.
According to IPU data, the three parliamentarians below are currently the youngest serving MPs.
Cleo Wilskut (20), South Africa: Ms. Wilskut of the Patriotic Alliance made history as the youngest member of the National Assembly elected just a few weeks ago in June 2024.
Eve Borg Bonello (21), Malta: Ms. Bonello of the Nationalist Party became an MP in 2022, becoming the youngest person to be elected to the House of Representatives of Malta in the country’s history.
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke (21), New Zealand: Ms. Maipi-Clarke, a member of the Te Pāti Māori Party, was elected in 2023 as one of the youngest MPs in New Zealand's history.
On the other end of the scale, the three oldest parliamentarians in the world are the following:
Salah Goudjil (93), Algeria: Mr. Goudjil serves in the Council of the Nation, the upper house of the Algerian Parliament.
Augusto Gómez Villanueva (95), Mexico: Mr. Gomez represents a circonscription of Mexico City in the Mexican National Assembly.
Guillermo García Frías (96), Cuba: Mr. García, a veteran of the Cuban Revolution, serves in the National Assembly.
Read here the article published by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on 7 August 2024.
As elections unfold throughout this super election year, much of the discussion has revolved around the advanced age of some candidates running for office. However, what about the younger voices that are adding fresh perspectives and energy to the political arena?
The IPU has been meticulously tracking the average age of parliamentarians at national, regional and global levels for many years, becoming the authoritative data reference on youth in parliament.
According to IPU data, the three parliamentarians below are currently the youngest serving MPs.
Cleo Wilskut (20), South Africa: Ms. Wilskut of the Patriotic Alliance made history as the youngest member of the National Assembly elected just a few weeks ago in June 2024.
Eve Borg Bonello (21), Malta: Ms. Bonello of the Nationalist Party became an MP in 2022, becoming the youngest person to be elected to the House of Representatives of Malta in the country’s history.
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke (21), New Zealand: Ms. Maipi-Clarke, a member of the Te Pāti Māori Party, was elected in 2023 as one of the youngest MPs in New Zealand's history.
On the other end of the scale, the three oldest parliamentarians in the world are the following:
Salah Goudjil (93), Algeria: Mr. Goudjil serves in the Council of the Nation, the upper house of the Algerian Parliament.
Augusto Gómez Villanueva (95), Mexico: Mr. Gomez represents a circonscription of Mexico City in the Mexican National Assembly.
Guillermo García Frías (96), Cuba: Mr. García, a veteran of the Cuban Revolution, serves in the National Assembly.
Read here the article published by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on 7 August 2024.