Old-timers dominate new-age politics

The US Senate Judiciary Committee is dominated by people in their 70s and 80s. (Photo: Vox)

Historically, we have always been led by those older than us—and, in the age of modern politics, most of these leaders have been men. 

This was true in hunting and foraging societies, where we looked to tribe elders for leadership and guidance. It was true for the United States in the early 1800s, when the median age of the population was 17 but the median age for members of Congress was 44, and it’s true today, when the American government is the oldest it’s ever been.

The aging of US politicians is happening faster than before. In the 60s, the median age of the US Congress was 53.7, and that figure stayed mostly the same for three decades. And then, between the years 1990 and 2020, it went up by seven whole years, from 53.4 years to 60.7 years. 

In 2022, about a quarter of the House of Representatives is over the age of 70. There are more people older than 70 now than there ever have been in Congress, and even the younger members of the Congress are getting older on average. Between the 50s and the 90s, about 10% of the House was under the age of 40, and that figure got as high as 17% in the 80s when more young people joined Congress. But starting from 2000 until now, as older members have started to stick around longer, only 4% of Congress is under the age of 40. Meanwhile, half of the US is aged 38 or younger. 

And it’s also worth noting that while the number of women serving in the US Congress is at an all-time high, they only make up 27% of the House. This figure is a far cry from the 51% of the US population that is made up of women.

The problem: a male-dominated gerontocracy

The US isn’t alone in this. Gerontocracy (rule by elders) is quickly becoming a problem, particularly in rich countries, but also in other parts of the world.

As the population trend changes, most countries are seeing lower fertility rates, extended life expectancies, and an intergenerational shift favoring the elderly. In Italy and Germany, people older than 50 take up over half of the voting population, and the proportion is similar in many other countries in the EU. 

In the Philippines, the numbers are slightly different. The average age of lawmakers from the 18th Congress in 2019 was 56 for the Senate, and 52 for the House of Representatives. At the time, the oldest Senate member was Richard Gordon, 73, and the youngest was Manny Pacquiao, 40. Additionally, it remains that most members of Congress are older than 40, which is disproportionate to the Philippines’ exceptionally young median age of 25.7

And there is still a disproportionate amount of women in government all around the world. Only 21% of government ministers worldwide are female, and only 14% of countries have achieved having at least 50% female cabinet members. Annually, this figure only increases by 0.52%, so at this rate, this goal won’t be reached until 2077.

The Philippines does better in this regard, but not by much. Most notably, we’ve had two female presidents, but we typically only have three to six female Senators out of 24, and only 25% occupy positions in the upper chamber. Moreover, some studies suggest that women who enter politics in the Philippines often only do so if they are part of political clans, and typically do not act on their own will.

Are our leaders out of touch?

The issue here is that these people cannot represent us and our needs. Perhaps one of the best examples is when Roe v Wade was overturned earlier this year, sparking outrage from Gen Z, which is the most pro-abortion generation there’s ever been.

In fact, recent surveys in the US are showing that Gen Z just doesn’t trust those in government to represent their needs. Two-thirds of those polled said that they think the House is either “somewhat” or “very out of touch” with regards to issues like inflation, abortion, the economy, and gun laws.

LGBTQIA+ rights also remain to be one of the most important issues for Gen Z. In the Philippines, the SOGIE Bill, which seeks to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, remains a controversial topic—with former Senate President Vicente Sotto III even saying it had “no chance” of being passed through Senate in 2019. The SOGIE Bill has yet to be passed to this day.

In spite of all this, I do have hope. Gen Z is the best-educated, most politically involved, and most outspoken generation yet. I have no doubt that someday soon, we will represent ourselves on these seats of power and be the change that we want to see.