Baby of the House

Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of a parliamentary house. The term is most often applied to members of the British parliament, from which the term originated.[1] The title is named after the Father of the House, which is given to the longest-serving member of the British and other parliaments.

Australia

[edit]

In Australia the term is rarely used. Most MPs and senators are elected only in their thirties and later, but some prominent MPs have been elected rather early in life, including Prime Ministers Harold Holt, Malcolm Fraser and Paul Keating, the latter two of whom were both elected at age 25, in 1955 and 1969 respectively. The youngest Baby of the House was Wyatt Roy: he was elected at age 20 in 2010, being the youngest person ever to be elected to an Australian parliament.[2]

As of 2022, the current Baby of the House is the Member for Brisbane Stephen Bates (age 31). Senator Fatima Payman (age 27) is the youngest member of the Senate.

Azerbaijan

[edit]

in the 2020 Azerbaijani parliamentary election, Sabina Khasayeva was the youngest MP elected, at the age of 27.[3]

Canada

[edit]

The youngest-ever elected member of the House of Commons of Canada is Pierre-Luc Dusseault, who was elected at the age of 19 years and 11 months in 2011. Dusseault is the youngest MP in Canadian history.[4] In the past this distinction has been held by MPs such as Sean O'Sullivan, Pierre Poilievre, Andrew Scheer, Claude-André Lachance and Lorne Nystrom.

The youngest current MP is Eric Melillo, a member of the Conservative Party of Canada, representing the riding of Kenora, Ontario; born in 1998, elected at 21 years of age. The youngest member of the Senate of Canada is Patrick Brazeau of Repentigny, Quebec; born 1974, appointed at 34 years of age.

Finland

[edit]
Entered Name Born Party Note
1970 Paavo Väyrynen 1946 Centre Party
1972 Erkki Liikanen 1950 Social Democratic Party of Finland
1979 Pekka Starast 1956 Social Democratic Party of Finland died in 2011
1983 Sirpa Pietikäinen 1959 National Coalition Party
1991 Minna Karhunen 1967 National Coalition Party
1994 Kirsi Piha 1967 National Coalition Party
1995 Säde Tahvanainen 1972 Social Democratic Party of Finland
1999 Petri Neittaanmäki 1975 Centre Party
2003 Satu Taiveaho 1976 Social Democratic Party of Finland
2004 Oras Tynkkynen 1977 Green League
2007 Tuomo Puumala 1982 Centre Party
2011 Olli Immonen 1986 Finns Party
2015 Ilmari Nurminen 1991 Social Democratic Party of Finland
2019 Iiris Suomela 1994 Green League
2023 Olga Oinas-Panuma 1999 Centre Party

France

[edit]

List of youngest members of the French Parliament

[edit]

This is a list of youngest members of the French parliament at the time of their election.

Elected Name Department Age
1789 Mathieu de Montmorency-Laval Yvelines 22
1791 Edme Bonnerot [fr] Yonne 24
1815 Claude-René Bacot de Romand [fr] Indre-et-Loire 22
2012 Marion Maréchal-Le Pen Vaucluse 22
2017 Ludovic Pajot Pas-de-Calais 23
2022 Tematai Le Gayic French Polynesia 21
2024 Flavien Termet[5] Ardennes 22

Germany

[edit]

In Germany the term is rarely used. Emilia Fester was the youngest MP elected in the 2021 federal election at the age of 23.[6]

Emily Vontz became the youngest MP in 2023, at the age of 22.[7]

In 2022, Pascal Leddin became the youngest member of the Landtag of Lower Saxony.[8]

Grenada

[edit]

Kerryne James was elected in the 2022 Grenadian general election at the age of 24, becoming the country's youngest ever legislator.[9]

Hong Kong

[edit]
Nathan Law, the youngest member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, was elected at the age of 23.

In Hong Kong the term is rarely used. The current baby of the Legislative Council is Joephy Chan, who was elected in the 2021 Legislative Council election.

From 1991 to 2016 the youngest elected member was James To, who ran for the first Legislative Council direct election in 1991 at the age of 28. His record ceased in 2016, when the youngest-ever elected member Nathan Law and the youngest-ever elected female member Yau Wai-ching were both elected in the 2016 election at the ages of 23 and 25 respectively; they were both disqualified over the oath-taking controversy between 2016 and 2017. He was replaced by Ho Kai-ming, who was the fourth-youngest member when he was elected in 2016. He was later replaced by Au Nok-hin, who was elected in the 2018 by-election, but was unseated in 2019. The title went back to Ho, who subsequently resigned in May 2020 for joining the government and was replaced by Cheng Chung-tai, who was the fifth youngest member in 2016, until he himself got disqualified in August 2021. The title eventually returned to Steven Ho who was elected as the youngest member in 2012.

Duration Name Date of birth Constituency Party Elected Start age
1 October 1991 – 1 July 1998 James To (1963-03-11)11 March 1963 Kowloon Southwest GC United Democrats 1991 28 years, 6 months
1 July 1998 – 1 October 2008 Bernard Chan (1965-01-11)11 January 1965 Insurance FC Nonpartisan 1998 33 years, 5 months
1 October 2008 – 1 October 2012 Chan Hak-kan (1976-04-24)24 April 1976 New Territories East GC DAB 2008 32 years, 5 months
1 October 2012 – 29 February 2016 Steven Ho (1979-11-30)30 November 1979 Agriculture and Fisheries FC DAB 2012 32 years, 10 months
29 February 2016 – 1 October 2016 Alvin Yeung (1981-06-05)5 June 1981 New Territories East GC Civic 2016 (b) 34 years, 8 months
1 October 2016 – 14 July 2017 Nathan Law (1993-07-13)13 July 1993 Hong Kong Island GC Demosisto 2016 23 years, 2 months
14 July 2017 – 21 March 2018 Ho Kai-ming (1985-01-06)6 January 1985 Labour FC FTU 2016 32 years, 6 months
21 March 2018 – 17 December 2019 Au Nok-hin (1987-06-18)18 June 1987 Hong Kong Island GC Independent 2018 (b) 30 years, 9 months
17 December 2019 – 31 May 2020 Ho Kai-ming (1985-01-06)6 January 1985 Labour FC FTU 2016 34 years, 11 months
31 May 2020 – 26 August 2021 Cheng Chung-tai (1983-11-05)5 November 1983 New Territories West GC Civic Passion 2016 36 years, 6 months
26 August 2021 – 31 December 2021 Steven Ho (1979-11-30)30 November 1979 Agriculture and Fisheries FC DAB 2012 41 years, 8 months
1 January 2022 – Present Joephy Chan (1990-12-01)1 December 1990 New Territories South West GC FTU 2021 31 years, 1 month

[ (b) – by-election]

Hungary

[edit]

The youngest-ever elected member of the National Assembly is Ilona Burka, who became MP at the age of 19 years, 5 months and 13 days on 12 May 1971, following the 1971 parliamentary election.

Member Party Date
Károly Wirth NYKP 1939–1944
András Kis MKP 1944–1945
András Hegedüs MKP 1945
István B. Rácz FKGP 1945–1947
János Gosztonyi NPP 1947–1949
Etel Kurlik MDP 1949–1953
Mária Inklovics MDP
MSZMP 		1953–1957
Margit Kaptur MSZMP 1957–1958
Jusztina Csarnai MSZMP 1958–1963
István Ollári MSZMP 1963–1967
István Bartha MSZMP 1967–1971
Ilona Burka MSZMP 1971–1975
Valéria Czégai MSZMP 1975–1980
Ibolya Kovács MSZMP 1980–1985
Márta Danka MSZMP 1985–1989
Edit Bödő-Rózsa Ind. 1989–1990
SZDSZ
Béla Glattfelder Fidesz 1990–1993
Róbert Répássy Fidesz 1993–1994
László Botka MSZP 1994–1998
János Zuschlag MSZP 1998–2002
Péter Szijjártó Fidesz 2002–2006
László Nagy MSZP 2006–2010
Dóra Dúró Jobbik 2010–2018
Péter Ungár LMP 2018–2022
Miklós Hajnal Momentum 2022–present

India

[edit]
Elected Name Constituency Party Age when elected
1984 Prakash Chandra Yadav Barh INC 25 years, 3 months[10]
1989 Nakul Nayak Phulbani JD 26 years, 8 months[11]
1991 Dipika Chikhlia Vadodara BJP 26 years, 2 months[12]
1996 Nihal Chand Chauhan Ganganagar BJP 25 years, 4 months[13]
1998 Yogi Adityanath Gorakhpur BJP 25 years, 8 months[14]
2000 (b) Akhilesh Yadav Kannauj SP 26 years, 7 months[15]
2004 (b) Dharmendra Yadav Mainpuri SP 25 years, 8 months[16]
2009 Muhammed Hamdulla Sayeed Lakshadweep INC 27 years, 0 months[17]
2014 Dushyant Chautala Hisar INLD 26 years, 1 month[18]
2019 Chandrani Murmu Keonjhar BJD 25 years, 11 months
2024 Pushpendra Saroj Kaushambi SP 25 years, 3 months

[(b) – by-election]

Iran

[edit]
Source:[19]
Elected Member Affiliation Age when elected
2012 Mohammad Hassannejad Independent 31
2016 Fatemeh Hosseini List of Hope 30
2020 Rouhollah Nejabat Independent 31

Ireland

[edit]

In the Republic of Ireland the term is rarely used, as TDs normally enter the Dáil after a political career in local government, usually only in their thirties and later. The current baby of the Dáil is the Fianna Fáil deputy James O'Connor (Cork East), who was 22 years and 7 months old when elected in February 2020.

The youngest TD of all time was William J. Murphy, elected age 21 years 29 days; the youngest female TD was Kathleen O'Connor, 21 years 7 months.

List of babies of the Dáil

[edit]
Elected Name Constituency Party Age
1918 Joseph Sweeney[20] West Donegal Sinn Féin 21
1927 Timothy Quill Cork North Labour 26
1937 A. P. Byrne Dublin North-West Independent 24
1943 Oliver J. Flanagan Laois–Offaly Monetary Reform 23
1948 Neil Blaney Donegal East Fianna Fáil 26
1949 William J. Murphy Cork West Labour 21
1951 Declan Costello Dublin North-West Fine Gael 24
1956 Kathleen O'Connor Kerry North Clann na Poblachta 21
1957 Brigid Hogan Galway South Fine Gael 24
1958 Anthony Millar Galway South Fianna Fáil 23
1961 Lorcan Allen Wexford Fianna Fáil 21
1965 Des Foley Dublin County Fianna Fáil 24
1969 John Bruton Meath Fine Gael 22
1975 Máire Geoghegan-Quinn Galway West Fianna Fáil 24
1975 Enda Kenny Mayo West Fine Gael 24
1977 Síle de Valera Dublin County Mid Fianna Fáil 23
1979 Myra Barry Cork North-East Fine Gael 22
1981 Ivan Yates Wexford Fine Gael 21
1984 Brian Cowen Laois–Offaly Fianna Fáil 24
1987 Mary Coughlan Donegal South-West Fianna Fáil 21
1995 Mildred Fox Wicklow Independent 24
1997 Denis Naughten Longford–Roscommon Fine Gael 24
2002 Damien English Meath Fine Gael 24
2007 Lucinda Creighton Dublin South-East Fine Gael 27
2011 Simon Harris Wicklow Fine Gael 24
2016 Jack Chambers Dublin West Fianna Fáil 25
2020 James O'Connor Cork East Fianna Fáil 22

Baby of Seanad Éireann

[edit]
Elected Name Panel Party Age
2011 Kathryn Reilly[21] Industrial and Commercial Panel Sinn Féin 22
2016 Fintan Warfield Cultural and Educational Panel Sinn Féin 24

Israel

[edit]

In Israel the term is seldom used. The youngest member of the current Knesset is Yitzhak Wasserlauf of Otzma Yehudit, elected in 2022 aged 30.

The youngest member of the Knesset ever is Moshe Nissim, elected in 1959 aged 24.

Italy

[edit]
Enzo Lattuca, baby of the Italian Chamber of Deputies (2013–2018) and youngest deputy ever.
Rachele Scarpa, current baby of the Italian Chamber of Deputies.

The youngest member of the Chamber of Deputies ever is Enzo Lattuca (PD), elected in 2013, aged 25 years, 1 month, and 6 days.

Elected Name Party Date of birth Age
1948 Francesco Pignatone DC 30 March 1923 25 years, 39 days
1953 Fabio De Felice MSI 13 July 1927 25 years, 347 days
1958 Riccardo Misasi DC 14 July 1932 25 years, 333 days
1963 Luigi Berlinguer PCI 25 July 1932 30 years, 295 days
1967 Giuseppe Antonio Bottaro PCI 21 October 1933 33 years, 138 days
1968 Carlo Sangalli DC 31 August 1937 30 years, 279 days
1972 Giuseppa Mendola PCI 4 December 1945 26 years, 173 days
1976 Paolo Allegra PCI 2 December 1950 25 years, 216 days
1979 Anna Maria Castelli Migali PCI 5 October 1951 27 years, 258 days
1979 Michl Ebner SVP 20 September 1952 26 years, 363 days
1983 Giovanni Negri PR 16 May 1957 26 years, 57 days
1987 Cristina Bevilacqua PCI 9 March 1962 25 years, 115 days
1992 Elisabetta Bertotti LN 8 December 1966 25 years, 137 days
1994 Sebastiano Fogliato LN 28 September 1967 26 years, 199 days
1996 Franca Gambato LN 31 August 1969 26 years, 252 days
2001 Chiara Moroni NPSI 23 October 1974 26 years, 219 days
2006 Arturo Scotto DS 15 May 1978 27 years, 348 days
2008 Annagrazia Calabria PdL 6 May 1982 25 years, 359 days
2013 Enzo Lattuca PD 9 February 1988 25 years, 34 days
2018 Angela Raffa M5S 26 January 1993 25 years, 56 days
2022 Rachele Scarpa PD 29 January 1997 25 years, 257 days

Kenya

[edit]
MP Age Party Constituency Election Parliament
John Paul Mwirigi[22] 23 UDA Igembe South 2017 12th Parliament

Malawi

[edit]

The youngest MP in Malawi was Angela Zachepa, who was voted in as MP at age 21.[23]

Malaysia

[edit]

In Malaysia, the term is very rarely used. Most MPs are directly elected and Senators are appointed or indirectly elected, usually in their middle age, but a few were elected as an MP at a very young age, including former Prime Minister and former Pekan MP Najib Razak, who was elected at 22 years and 6 months in 1976. The youngest ever elected is Batu MP Prabakaran Parameswaran, who was elected at the age of 22 years and 3 months in 2018.[24] The present Baby of the House is Sungai Petani MP Mohammed Taufiq Johari, who was elected in 2022. Mohammed Taufiq is a month younger than Prabakaran. Any citizen 18 years of age or older can become a candidate and be directly elected to the Dewan Rakyat as an MP and State Legislative Assemblies as an MLA,[25] while any citizen 30 years of age or older can be appointed or indirectly elected to the Dewan Negara as a Senator.

Marshall Islands

[edit]

In the 2019 general election, Kitlang Kabua became the youngest person ever elected to the Nitijeļā.[26][27]

New Zealand

[edit]
Maipi-Clarke in 2024

The term "Baby of the House" is rarely used in New Zealand. The current Baby of the House is Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke of Te Pāti Māori, who was elected on 14 October 2023 aged 21.[28] Maipi-Clarke succeeded Chlöe Swarbrick of the Green Party, who was elected on 24 September 2017 aged 23.[29]

Youngest MPs in the New Zealand House of Representatives
Name Elected from Party Date of birth Became baby Age
James Stuart-Wortley Christchurch Country Independent 16 January 1833 1 October 1853 20 years, 258 days
Augustus White Akaroa Independent 1839 13 February 1861 22
Robert Campbell Oamaru Independent 8 January 1843 6 April 1866 23 years, 88 days
Ralph Richardson Suburbs of Nelson Independent 1848 23 January 1871 22
William Pearson Ashley Independent 1854 9 December 1881 27
Arthur Rhodes Gladstone Independent 20 March 1859 26 September 1887 28 years, 190 days
Jackson Palmer Waitemata Independent Liberal 1867 5 December 1890 23
Patrick O'Regan Inangahua Liberal 6 February 1869 20 December 1893 24 years, 317 days
Thomas Wilford Wellington Suburbs Liberal 20 June 1870 4 December 1896 26 years, 167 days
Harry Bedford City of Dunedin Liberal 31 August 1877 25 November 1902 25 years, 86 days
Francis Fisher Wellington Central Liberal 22 December 1877 6 December 1905 27 years, 349 days
Tom Seddon Westland Liberal 2 July 1884 13 July 1906 22 years, 11 days
John A. Lee Auckland East Labour 31 October 1891 7 December 1922 31 years, 37 days
George Black Motueka United 21 November 1903 14 November 1928 24 years, 359 days
Keith Holyoake Motueka Reform 11 February 1904 1 December 1932 28 years, 294 days
Terry McCombs Lyttelton Labour 5 September 1905 24 July 1935 29 years, 322 days
Ormond Wilson Rangitikei Labour 18 November 1907 27 November 1935 28 years, 9 days
Joseph Cotterill Wanganui Labour 26 September 1905 15 October 1938 33 years, 19 days
Tapihana Paraire Paikea Northern Maori Labour 26 January 1920 24 September 1943 23 years, 241 days
Warren Freer Mt Albert Labour 27 December 1920 24 September 1947 26 years, 271 days
Jim Edwards Napier Labour 24 February 1927 13 November 1954 27 years, 262 days
Basil Arthur Timaru Labour 18 September 1928 21 July 1962 33 years, 306 days
Brian MacDonell Dunedin Central Labour 19 May 1935 30 November 1963 28 years, 195 days
Jonathan Hunt New Lynn Labour 2 December 1938 26 November 1966 27 years, 359 days
Murray Rose Otago Central National 14 December 1939 29 November 1969 29 years, 350 days
Mike Moore Eden Labour 28 January 1949 25 November 1972 23 years, 302 days
Marilyn Waring Raglan National 7 October 1952 29 November 1975 23 years, 53 days
Simon Upton Waikato National 7 February 1958 28 November 1981 23 years, 294 days
Nick Smith Tasman National 24 December 1964 27 October 1990 25 years, 307 days
Nanaia Mahuta List Labour 21 August 1970 12 October 1996 26 years, 52 days
Darren Hughes Ōtaki Labour 3 April 1978 27 July 2002 24 years, 115 days
Jacinda Ardern List Labour 26 July 1980 8 November 2008 28 years, 105 days
Gareth Hughes List Green 31 October 1981 11 February 2010 28 years, 103 days
Jami-Lee Ross Botany National 10 December 1985 5 March 2011 25 years, 85 days
Todd Barclay Clutha-Southland National 8 June 1990 20 September 2014 24 years, 104 days
Chlöe Swarbrick List Green 26 June 1994 23 September 2017 23 years, 89 days
Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke Hauraki-Waikato Te Pāti Māori September 2002 14 October 2023 21 years, 18 days

Philippines

[edit]

In the Congress of the Philippines, the term "Baby of the House" is rarely used; the term "Benjamin" of the chamber is used instead.[30] Special treatment is not given to the youngest member of either chamber. However, by tradition, the youngest member of the chamber usually administers the oath of office to their incoming leader (i.e. President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives).

The minimum age for being a member of the House of Representatives is 25 years old, while for the Senate it is 35, as stipulated in the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines. In 1933, Benigno Aquino, Sr. became senator at the age of 33;[31] the Jones Law, which created the Senate, had prescribed the minimum age of 30.

The current Benjamin of the House is Representative Jaime Cojuangco of the 1st District of Tarlac. Meanwhile, Senator Mark Villar has been the youngest Senator since 2022.[32]

List of youngest members of the Philippine House of Representatives

[edit]
Entered Name Party District Date of Birth Assumed Office Age Note Ref
1987 Gerardo A. Roxas Jr. Liberal Capiz–1st 21 October 1960 30 June 1987 26 years, 252 days
1992 Ralph Recto LDP Batangas–4th 11 January 1964 30 June 1992 28 years, 171 days [33]
1995 Mike Defensor Liberal Quezon City–3rd 30 June 1969 30 June 1995 26 years, 0 days [33]
1998 Alan Peter Cayetano Lakas Pateros–Taguig 28 October 1970 30 June 1998 27 years, 245 days [33]
2001 Felix William Fuentebella NPC Camarines Sur–3rd 5 February 1975 30 June 2001 26 years, 145 days [30]
2002 Joel Villanueva CIBAC Partylist 2 August 1975 6 February 2002 26 years, 188 days [30]
2004 Joel Villanueva CIBAC Partylist 2 August 1975 20 June 2004 28 years, 333 days
2007 Sharee Ann Tan Lakas Samar–2nd 11 May 1982 30 June 2007 25 years, 50 days [33]
2010 Abigail Faye Ferriol-Pascual   Kalinga Partylist 21 September 1984 30 June 2010 25 years, 282 days sworn in Feliciano Belmonte as Speaker[34] [35]
2013 Xavier Jesus Romualdo Liberal Camiguin 5 December 1986 30 June 2013 26 years, 207 days sworn in Feliciano Belmonte as Speaker[36] [37]
2016 Dennis Laogan Ang Kabuhayan Partylist 1 September 1990 30 June 2016 25 years, 303 days sworn in Pantaleon Alvarez[38] and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo[39] as Speaker [40]
2019 Braeden John Biron Nacionalista Iloilo–4th 10 January 1994 30 June 2019 25 years, 171 days sworn in Alan Peter Cayetano as Speaker [32]
2022 Jaime Cojuangco NPC Tarlac–1st 12 April 1997 30 June 2022 25 years, 79 days sworn in Martin Romualdez as Speaker

List of youngest members of the Philippine Senate

[edit]
Congress Name Party Date of Birth Age When Elected From To
8th Joey Lina UNIDO 22 December 1951 35 years, 190 days 30 June 1987 30 June 1992
9th, 10th Nikki Coseteng NPC 18 December 1952 39 years, 195 days 30 June 1992 30 June 1998
11th Loren Legarda Lakas 28 January 1960 38 years, 153 days 30 June 1998 30 June 2001
12th Ralph Recto Nacionalista 11 January 1964 37 years, 170 days 30 June 2001 30 June 2004
13th Bong Revilla Lakas 25 September 1966 37 years, 279 days 30 June 2004 30 June 2007
14th, 15th Antonio Trillanes Nacionalista 6 August 1971 35 years, 327 days 30 June 2007 30 June 2013
16th Bam Aquino Liberal 9 May 1977 36 years, 52 days 30 June 2013 30 June 2016
17th, 18th Manny Pacquiao PCM 17 December 1978 37 years, 196 days 30 June 2016 30 June 2022
19th Mark Villar Nacionalista 14 August 1978 43 years, 320 days 30 June 2022 present

Russia

[edit]
Elected Name Party Age when elected
1993 Aleksey Zuev [ru] LDPR 23
1995 Darya Mitina CPRF 22
1999 Vladislav Dyomin [ru] LDPR 25
2003 Pavel Semjonov [ru] United Russia 27
2007 Robert Schlegel United Russia 23
2016 Vasily Vlasov LDPR 21
2021 Georgy Arapov[41] New People 22

Singapore

[edit]

The current youngest MP in the Singapore Parliament is Nadia Ahmad Samdin, who was elected in 2020 at the age of 30.[42][43][44] The youngest MP ever elected in Singapore is Lim Chin Siong, who was elected in the 1955 general election at the age of 22.[44]

Elected Name Party Age
1955 Lim Chin Siong PAP 22
1976 Tan Soo Khoon PAP 27
2011 Tin Pei Ling PAP 27
2020 Raeesah Khan WP 26
2020 Nadia Ahmad Samdin PAP 30

South Africa

[edit]

The current titleholder, since 2017, is Hlomela Bucwa of the Democratic Alliance.[45]

Sweden

[edit]
Entered Name Constituency Party Age Note
2002 Gustav Fridolin Stockholm Municipality Green 19 Spokesperson of the Green Party, 2011–2019
Minister for Education, 2014–2019
2006 Annie Lööf Jönköping County Centre 23 Leader of the Centre Party, 2011–2023
Minister for Enterprise, 2011–2014
2010 Anton Abele Stockholm Municipality Moderate 18
2014 Dennis Dioukarev Jönköping County Sweden Democrats 21
2015 Jesper Skalberg Karlsson Gotland County Moderate 21 Replaced Gustaf Hoffstedt on 19 January 2015 when Hoffstedt resigned his seat.
2018 Ebba Hermansson Skåne County Sweden Democrats 22
21 September 2021 Axel Hallberg Skåne County Green 22 Replaced Emma Berginger on 20 September 2021 during her leave of absence
19 May 2022 Tobias Andersson Västra Götaland County East Sweden Democrats 26 When Emma Berginger returned from her leave of absence on 19 May 2022, Axel Hallberg automatically left the Parliament. Since Ebba Hermansson, the previous Baby of the House, had resigned her seat in December 2021, the new Baby of the House became Tobias Andersson at the age of 26.
26 September 2022 Aida Birinxhiku[46] Halland County Social Democrats 23 Aida Birinxhiku become the youngest member of the Parliament following the 2022 general election.
18 January 2023 Daniel Lönn[47] Dalarna County Sweden Democrats 21 Replaced Sara Gille from 18 January 2023 during her leave of absence. This happened since Rasmus Giertz, who had up to then replaced Sara Gille, became an ordinary member of the Parliament following Mats Nordberg's death.
31 March 2023 Aida Birinxhiku[46] Halland County Social Democrats 23 Aida Birinxhiku regained her position as the youngest member of the Parliament after Sara Gille returned from her leave of absence, thus ending Daniel Lönns time in Parliament.
28 August 2023 Jonathan Svensson[48] Västra Götaland County North Social Democrats 23 Jonathan Svensson became the youngest member of the Parliament when Paula Holmqvist went on leave of absence in August 2023 and finally succeeded her on 4 March 2024, when she resigned her seat.

The current Baby of the House is Jonathan Svensson. The youngest person ever to be elected MP to a Swedish parliament is Anton Abele, who was only aged 18 when elected in September 2010.[49] Current record holder for the world's youngest-ever elected MP is Anton Abele, who at 18 years was elected to the Swedish Parliament for his activism against street violence.[50]

Turkey

[edit]

Rümeysa Kadak (born 16 May 1996) is the youngest MP in the history of Republic of Turkey.[51]

Trinidad and Tobago

[edit]

Saddam Hosein is the baby of the house of the 12th Republican Parliament.[52]

Uganda

[edit]

At 19 years old, Proscovia Alengot Oromait was the world's youngest MP and youngest ever MP in Africa when elected in 2011.[53][54] Oromait is a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Uganda and was a representative of Usuk County until 2016.[55] She was succeeded as the youngest member of parliament in Uganda by Hellen Auma Wandera.[56]

United Kingdom

[edit]

Becoming the Baby of the House of Commons is regarded as something of an achievement, despite the lack of any special treatment that comes with the title. However, some MPs who have held the position for a considerable period – Matthew Taylor was the Baby of the House for over ten years – have found it somewhat embarrassing, as it may suggest that they have a lack of experience, although many holders of the title have gone on to enjoy long and distinguished parliamentary careers.

From August 1999 to September 2001, all three of the leaders of the main political parties – Tony Blair, William Hague and Charles Kennedy – had been the youngest MPs in their party when they began their political careers, though only Kennedy had been Baby of the House.

Of those whose ages can be verified, the youngest MP since the Reform Act 1832[57] is Mhairi Black, elected in 2015 aged 20 years 237 days.[58] The age of candidacy for Parliament was lowered from 21 to 18 by the Electoral Administration Act 2006. William Pitt the Younger was elected at 21 and became Prime Minister two years later in 1783. There were younger MPs in earlier centuries: Christopher Monck was elected as MP for Devon in 1667 aged 13; when his father died three years later and Monck became Duke of Albemarle, he could not then take his seat in the House of Lords until aged 21.[59]

Owen Carron directly replaced Bobby Sands as both MP for Fermanagh South Tyrone and Baby of the House after Sands' death on hunger strike, but neither ever took his seat.[60] George Charles Grey is the only other Baby of the House to die while in post, in World War Two.[61]

List of babies of the House of Commons

[edit]

In the following table, "(b)" denotes an MP elected at a by-election.

Elected Name Constituency Party Age when elected
1880 (b) James Dickson Dungannon Liberal 21
1885 Harry Levy-Lawson St Pancras West Liberal 22
1888 (b) Lord Walter Gordon-Lennox Chichester Conservative 22
1890 (b) Henry Harrison Mid Tipperary Irish Parliamentary 22
1891 (b) Victor Cavendish West Derbyshire Conservative 23
1891 (b) Frederick Smith Strand Conservative 23
1892 Thomas Bartholomew Curran Kilkenny City Irish National Federation 22
1895 Viscount Milton Wakefield Liberal Unionist 22
1898 (b) Sir Samuel Scott, Bt Marylebone West Conservative 24
1898 (b) Arthur Hill West Down Conservative 24
1900 Richard Rigg Appleby Liberal 23
1904 (b) Viscount Turnour Horsham Conservative 21
1906 Lord Wodehouse Mid Norfolk Liberal 22
Jan 1910 Charles Thomas Mills Uxbridge Conservative 22
Dec 1910 Viscount Wolmer Newton Liberal 23
1912 (b) Sir Philip Sassoon, Bt Hythe Conservative 23
1915 (b) John Esmonde North Tipperary Irish Parliamentary 21
1916 (b) Patrick Whitty North Louth Irish Parliamentary 21
1917 (b) Lord Stanley Liverpool Abercromby Conservative 22
1918[62] Joseph Sweeney West Donegal Sinn Féin 21
1919 (b) Esmond Harmsworth Isle of Thanet Coalition Conservative 21
1922 Arthur Evans Leicester East National Liberal 24
1923 Charles Rhys Romford Conservative 24
1924 Hugh Lucas-Tooth Isle of Ely Conservative 21
1929 (b) Jennie Lee North Lanarkshire Labour 24
1929 Frank Owen Hereford Liberal 23
1931 Roland Robinson Widnes Conservative 24
1933 (b) Lord Willoughby de Eresby Rutland and Stamford Conservative 25
1935 (b) Charles Taylor Eastbourne Conservative 24
1935 Malcolm Macmillan Western Isles Labour 22
1940 (b) John Profumo Kettering Conservative 25
1941 (b) George Charles Grey Berwick-upon-Tweed Liberal 22
1944[63] John Profumo Kettering Conservative 29
1945 (b) Ernest Millington Chelmsford Common Wealth 29
1945 Edward Carson Isle of Thanet Conservative 25
1948 (b) Roy Jenkins Southwark Central Labour 27
1950 Peter Baker South Norfolk Conservative 28
1950 (b)[64] Tony Benn Bristol South East Labour 25
1950 (b) Thomas Teevan Belfast West UUP 23
1951[65] Tony Benn Bristol South East Labour 26
1954 (b) John Eden Bournemouth West Conservative 28
1954 (b) John Woollam Liverpool West Derby Conservative 27
1955[66] Philip Clarke Fermanagh and South Tyrone Sinn Féin 21
1955[66] Peter Kirk Gravesend Conservative 27
1956 (b) Marcus Kimball Gainsborough Conservative 27
1957 (b) Robert Cooke Bristol West Conservative 26
1958 (b)[67] Basil de Ferranti Morecambe and Lonsdale Conservative 28
1958 (b) Patrick Wolrige-Gordon East Aberdeenshire Conservative 23
1959 (b) Paul Channon Southend West Conservative 23
1964 Teddy Taylor Glasgow Cathcart Conservative 27
1965 (b) David Steel Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles Liberal 26
1966 John Ryan Uxbridge Labour 25
1967 (b) Les Huckfield Nuneaton Labour 24
1969 (b) Bernadette Devlin Mid Ulster Unity 21
Feb 1974 Dafydd Elis Thomas Merioneth Plaid Cymru 27
Oct 1974 Hélène Hayman Welwyn and Hatfield Labour 25
1977 (b) Andrew MacKay Birmingham Stechford Conservative 27
1979 (b) David Alton Liverpool Edge Hill Liberal 28
1979 Stephen Dorrell Loughborough Conservative 27
1981 (b)[68] Bobby Sands Fermanagh and South Tyrone Anti H-Block 27
1981[63] Stephen Dorrell Loughborough Conservative 29
1981 (b)[68] Owen Carron Fermanagh and South Tyrone Anti H-Block 28
1983 Charles Kennedy Ross, Cromarty and Skye SDP 23
1987 (b) Matthew Taylor Truro Liberal 24
1997[69] Chris Leslie Shipley Labour 24
2000 (b) David Lammy Tottenham Labour 27
2003 (b) Sarah Teather Brent East Liberal Democrats 29
2005 Jo Swinson East Dunbartonshire Liberal Democrats 25
2009 (b) Chloe Smith Norwich North Conservative 27
2010 Pamela Nash Airdrie and Shotts Labour 25
2015 Mhairi Black Paisley and Renfrewshire South SNP 20
2019 Nadia Whittome Nottingham East Labour 23
2023 (b) Keir Mather Selby and Ainsty Labour 25
2024 Sam Carling North West Cambridgeshire Labour 22

Youngest member of the House of Lords

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The title 'Baby of the House' is not used in the House of Lords, though the youngest member is recorded on the House website.[70] As of March 2024, the youngest member of the House is Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (born 15 May 1996), who was created a life peer at the age of 27, becoming the youngest-ever life peer.

The youngest male member of the House is Lord Kempsell (born 8 May 1992), who was likewise created a life peer in July 2023 at the age of 31.

Standing Orders state that "No Lord under the age of one and twenty years shall be permitted to sit in the House". When most members of the Lords were hereditary peers, a peer who had inherited his or her peerage(s) while under age was entitled to take a seat on the day before his or her 21st birthday. In theory, such a hereditary peer could still be elected to sit in the House at that age; in practice, the youngest hereditary peer to have been elected was Lord Freyberg (born 15 December 1970), who was elected in October 1999 at the age of 28.

List of youngest members of the Scottish Parliament

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This is a list of youngest members of the Scottish Parliament created in 1999.

Elected Name Constituency/region Party Age when elected
1999 Duncan Hamilton Highlands and Islands region SNP 25[71]
2003 Richard Baker North East Scotland region Labour 28
2007 John Lamont Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency Conservative 31
2011 Humza Yousaf Glasgow region SNP 26
2016 Ross Greer West Scotland region Scottish Green 21
2021 Emma Roddick Highlands and Islands region SNP 23

List of youngest members of the Senedd

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This is a list of youngest members of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), created in 1999. From its creation in 1999 until May 2020, the Senedd was known as the National Assembly for Wales (Welsh: Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru).

Elected Name Constituency/region Party DOB Age when elected
1999 Jonathan Morgan South Wales Central Conservative 27 November 1974 24[72]
2003 Laura Ann Jones South Wales East Conservative 21 February 1979 24
2007 Bethan Jenkins South Wales West Plaid Cymru 9 December 1981 25
2016 Steffan Lewis South Wales East Plaid Cymru 30 May 1984 31
2018 (b) Jack Sargeant Alyn and Deeside Labour 1994 23[73]
2021 Luke Fletcher South Wales West Plaid Cymru 1995/96 25[74]

United States

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Main article: List of youngest members of the United States Congress

While the term is used in the Commonwealth Parliaments, Baby of the House or Senate is not in general contemporary use in the United States, nor does being the youngest member confer special treatment in either house of Congress.

Members of the US Congress tend to be older than parliamentarians elsewhere in the English-speaking world, a main factor being that the minimum ages for members of Congress is written into Article One of the United States Constitution, which forbids those under the age of 25 from serving in the House, and those under the age of 30 from serving in the Senate. Moreover, election to the federal Congress is expensive and requires extensive contacts and recognition across a very wide area. Individuals aiming to serve in the federal legislature generally seek election to the state legislature (state legislatures generally have lower minimum ages for entry) or other state office before seeking to serve in Washington.

In the 118th Congress, which began on 3 January 2023, the youngest member of the United States House of Representatives is Maxwell Frost, who was born on (1997-01-17) 17 January 1997 (age 27) and was first elected in 2022.

Currently the youngest US senator is Jon Ossoff, born on (1987-02-16) 16 February 1987 (age 37), and first elected to a full term in the Senate in the 2020–21 United States Senate election in Georgia.

Zimbabwe

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Zimbabwe is a commonwealth country where the term "baby of the house" isn't used, but young MPs are represented in the Parliament of Zimbabwe.[75]

MP Party Constituency Age Election Parliament Source
Joanah Mamombe Movement for Democratic Change Alliance Harare West 25 2018 9th Parliament of Zimbabwe [76]
Takudzwa Ngadziore Citizens Coalition for Change Youth quota 24 2023 10th Parliament of Zimbabwe [77]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ of the House: House of Commons Background Paper – Commons Library Standard Note from UK Parliament, accessed on 1 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Australia's youngest MP says future PM suggestion is 'ridiculous'". news.com.au. 4 October 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  3. ^ "23-VIQR - Azərbaycan Respublikası Milli Məclisinin Regional məsələlər komitəsi üzvlərinin seçilməsi haqqında". 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  4. ^ Banerjee, Sidhartha (4 May 2011). "19-year-old sets record as youngest MP; NDPer planned summer job at golf course". The Canadian Press.[dead link]
  5. ^ "Age, gender, profession: Who are France's new members of Parliament?". Le Monde.fr. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Grünen-Politikerin Emilia Fester - Ersti-Woche im Bundestag". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German). Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Emily Vontz: "Laut sein für meine Generation"". ZDF (in German). Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Von FFF in den Landtag: Jüngster Abgeordneter ist 23 - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). 13 October 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Youngest elected representative in the history of Grenada - Kerryne Z. James". Caribbean American Passport. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Members' Bioprofile - Prakash Chandra". Parliament of India - Lok Sabha. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Members' Bioprofile - Nakul Nayak". Parliament of India - Lok Sabha. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Members' Bioprofile - Smt. Dipika Topiwala". Parliament of India - Lok Sabha. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Members' Bioprofile". Parliament of India - Lok Sabha. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  14. ^ Parliament of India - Twelfth Lok Sabha: Who's Who (1999) (PDF). New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. 1999. p. 1219.
  15. ^ Parliament of India - Thirteenth Lok Sabha: Who's Who (2000) (PDF). New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. 2000. p. 1253.
  16. ^ Parliament of India - Fourteenth Lok Sabha: Who's Who (2005) (PDF). New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. 2005. p. 1309.
  17. ^ Parliament of India - Fifteenth Lok Sabha: Who's Who (2011) (PDF). New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. 2011. p. 1333.
  18. ^ Parliament of India - Sixteenth Lok Sabha: Who's Who (2016) (PDF). New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. 2016. p. 1391.
  19. ^ Nasrin Vaziri. "اعضای هیات رئیسه سنی در 10 مجلس شورای اسلامی/چهار رئیس سنی تا کنون درگذشته‌اند" (in Persian). Khabar Online. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  20. ^ Joseph Sweeney did not take his seat in the House of Commons but sat in the First Dáil
  21. ^ O'Regan, Michael (30 April 2011). "SF woman (22) is youngest ever Senator". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  22. ^ Rene Otinga (16 September 2017). "Pleasant surprise: Uhuru donates brand new Toyota Prado to 'broke' 23-year-old MP as he promised". Nairobi: TUKO Kenya. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Atupele Muluzi to engage former youngest parliamentarian, Angella Zachepa | Malawi Voice". Archived from the original on 1 July 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  24. ^ "Malaysia's youngest MP Prabakaran joins PKR". Malay Mail. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  25. ^ "Penjalanan Pilihan Raya: Calon". Election Commission of Malaysia. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  26. ^ "Hon Kitlang Kabua". Pacific Women in Politics. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020.
  27. ^ Johnson, Giff (20 January 2020). "Marshalls' President Kabua's inauguration set for Monday". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020.
  28. ^ "Nanaia Mahuta unseated by 21-year-old newcomer Hana Maipi-Clarke". 1 News. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023.
  29. ^ "Chloe Swarbrick, 23, set to become NZ's youngest MP in 42 years". The New Zealand Herald. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  30. ^ a b c Labog-Javellana, Juliet (7 February 2002). "New Solon takes office with much fanfare". Google News. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  31. ^ "FAST FACTS: Trivia on the Philippine Senate". Rappler. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  32. ^ a b Bueza, Michael (2 July 2019). "18th Congress, by the numbers". Rappler. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  33. ^ a b c d "GMA News Research: More young reps in but oldies still rule". GMA News Online. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  34. ^ "House of Representatives Press Releases". House of Representatives. Philippines. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  35. ^ "Youngest in the House". 20 May 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2020 – via PressReader.
  36. ^ Boncocan, Karen (22 July 2013). "House re-elects Belmonte in overwhelming vote". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  37. ^ "Rep. XJ Romualdo ng Camiguin, pinakabatang kongresista sa bansa". GMA News Online. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  38. ^ "Duterte ally Pantaleon Alvarez elected as Speaker of 17th Congress". GMA News Online. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  39. ^ Nonato, Gabriel Pabico Lalu, Pathricia Ann V. Roxas, Vince F. (24 July 2018). "Backed by 184 lawmakers, Gloria Arroyo takes oath as Speaker". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved 14 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  40. ^ Bueza, Michael (24 July 2016). "By the numbers: 17th Congress". Rappler. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  41. ^ "Чем богаты депутаты". Газета РБК. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  42. ^ Yip, Christy. "GE2020: Age is no issue, says PAP's youngest candidate Nadia Samdin". CNA. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  43. ^ Auto, Hermes (21 August 2015). "PAP's Tin Pei Ling will defend MacPherson single-seat ward in coming general election | The Straits Times". Straits Times. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  44. ^ a b Lay, Belmont (11 July 2020). "Sengkang GRC MP-elect Raeesah Khan, 26, set to be youngest MP in modern S'pore". Mothership. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  45. ^ Shaban, Abdur Rahman Alfa (22 February 2017). "South Africa's youngest MP dazzles as she delivers her first address". Africanews. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  46. ^ a b Aida Birinxhiku is the youngest MP 2022-09-25 (in Swedish)
  47. ^ 21-åring blir yngst i riksdagen 2023-01-17 (in Swedish)
  48. ^ Bohlin, Albin (29 February 2024). "Han blir yngst i kammaren". Altinget.se. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  49. ^ Anton, 18, to be youngest ever Swedish MP – The Local Archived 15 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  50. ^ "FutureWorld » Ugandan teenager becomes youngest MP in Africa". Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  51. ^ "TÜRKİYE BÜYÜK MİLLET MECLİSİ". www5.tbmm.gov.tr. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  52. ^ "Saddam Hosein Biography". Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.
  53. ^ "Uganda scraps anti-porn 'miniskirt' law". France 24. 17 August 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  54. ^ Nunoo, Ama (9 September 2020). "At 19, this Ugandan woman became Africa's youngest lawmaker". Face2Face Africa. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  55. ^ Adeyemo, Adeola (20 September 2012). "Here Comes Africa's Youngest Parliamentarian! 19 Year-Old Proscovia Alengot Oromait Wins a Parliamentary Seat in Ugandan Elections & Makes History". BellaNaija. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  56. ^ "Fish vendor now Uganda's youngest serving MP". The Citizen. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  57. ^ Prior to 1832 minors could be elected; precise information on those MPs is often unclear.
  58. ^ MacAskill, Ewen; Ratcliffe, Rebecca (8 May 2015). "Mhairi Black: the 20-year-old who beat a Labour heavyweight". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  59. ^ "I. The Composition of the House | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  60. ^ "1981: Hunger striker elected MP". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  61. ^ "Whitehall, October 17, 1944". The Gazette. The Gazette. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  62. ^ Joseph Sweeney did not take his seat; the youngest MP actually sitting in the House of Commons was Oswald Mosley (Conservative, aged 22)
  63. ^ a b Became the youngest MP for a second time, on the death of the previous youngest MP
  64. ^ Tony Benn was first elected at the 1950 Bristol South East by-election, aged 25, the day after Thomas Teevan, who was aged 23, but Benn took the oath the day before Teevan, and so was Baby of the House for a single day
  65. ^ Tony Benn became the youngest MP again after the 1951 general election, on the defeat of Teevan
  66. ^ a b Elected on an abstentionist ticket, Philip Clarke did not take his seat. Peter Kirk was first elected at the 1955 general election, when he became the youngest MP to take his seat, but only became the youngest MP with the disqualification of Clarke later in the year
  67. ^ Basil de Ferranti was the youngest MP for 15 days between his taking his seat after the 1958 Morecambe and Lonsdale by-election and Patrick Wolrige-Gordon taking his seat after the 1958 East Aberdeenshire by-election
  68. ^ a b Elected on an abstentionist ticket, Bobby Sands and Owen Carron did not take their seats; Stephen Dorrell remained the youngest MP actually sitting in the House of Commons
  69. ^ Although several sources claim Claire Ward was the youngest MP during this period, she was 50 days older than Chris Leslie
  70. ^ Parliament.UK – House of Lords FAQS – Membership and principal office holders at parliament.uk
  71. ^ McColm, Euan (8 March 2017). "This time the SNP will get real". The Scotsman. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  72. ^ Percival, Jenny (8 May 1999). "LABOUR WILTS IN THE VALLEYS AS PLAID CYMRU TAKES ROOT". The Scotman. p. 9.
  73. ^ Shipton, Martin; Hodgson, Sarah (7 February 2018). "Jack Sargeant wins Alyn and Deeside by-election after his father's death". Wales Online. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  74. ^ BBC News (10 May 2021). "Welsh Parliament election: Senedd members get to work". BBC News. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  75. ^ "Joana Mamombe: Meet the Zimbabwe Youngest Member of Parliament, Age 25". How Africa News. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  76. ^ tubei, george (10 September 2018). "Meet Zimbabwe's youngest legislator, Joanah Mamombe who at 25 represents Harare West Constituency". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  77. ^ Ndoro, Nyashadzashe (1 November 2023). "Zimbabwe's youngest MP Takudzwa Ngadziore abducted by men armed with AK47s". Nehanda Radio. Retrieved 15 November 2023.

References

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