ALL 16 and 17-year-olds in Wales will be able to vote in the 2021 National Assembly election after a bill was passed on Wednesday.

The Senedd and Elections Bill received royal assent and was officially transferred to the Assembly’s chief executive and clerk, Manon Antoniazzi, by First Minister Mark Drakeford.

It has been praised by many as an historic day for the country, and as part of the Act, the Assembly will also now be known as Senedd Cymru or Welsh Parliament.

However, Leader readers were well and truly split on the issue.

Chris Murphy welcomed the news.

He said: "I love how people say they should be older than 18 to vote - yet you can be sent to die in a war at 18 and no-one says a word.

"It's good that people - especially the younger generation - are getting interested in politics."

Samuel Francis added: "Coupled with sufficient education regarding our political systems, it's a great step forward.

"If you're old enough to pay into the system, you're a part of it, therefore you have a right to have your say on how it's run."

Tina Hadley said: "A bit more life experience is needed to make informed decisions rather ideological decisions - few 16-17 year olds will have the experience.

"Having said that there are a lot of so called 'adults' who maybe shouldn't be allowed to vote."

Tracey Scourfield was one of many who said aligned with the move should be one to make politics a mandatory subject taught in schools.

She said: "My son is coming up to 17 and doing A levels. The only political info he hears is from us and obviously we have our beliefs so he's not getting an unbiased opinion.

"We should not be leaving our children to find out about political issues from their parents/internet alone. This is one of the reasons why we have voter apathy."

Debbie Williams Owen was one of a number to question who is classed as an adult these days.

She said: "Firstly I think Britain should decide at what age you are actually classed as being an adult.

"If it’s 16 then you should be allowed to do everything an adult can do; vote, drink, learn to drive and the like.

"If you are not legally classed as an adult til you are 18 then that should be the age when you are allowed to do adult things - a person can’t be classed as a child and an adult at the same time."

But others are wholly against the move - describing it as "a stupid thing to do", "absolute lunacy" and that "the world's gone mad".

Elin Jones AM, Llywydd of the National Assembly for Wales, praised the Act as a milestone for Wales.

“I am honoured to mark this significant chapter in the story of our Assembly with the passing of the Senedd and Elections Bill into an Act of the Assembly,” he said.

“In May we will have a new name which will reflect our status as a mature legislature, and we will see the biggest extension to the franchise since 1969 – notably giving 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in the Welsh General Election for the first time in 2021.

“It is a moment of great pride to watch our Assembly evolve in order to continue to be at its best to serve the people of Wales.”

The Act, which was first introduced as a Bill to Parliament in February 2019, will come into force in May.