They can serve in the millitary but not in combat and get married only with their parents permission. As for having kids, that's biologically possible at an even earlier age. Along with pretty much everybody else, I thought I new everything at 16. I now realise I knew jack and am under no illusion about knowing much more now. It was a cynical ploy for more votes pure and simple and still didn't glean the result they were looking for.
It may have been a cynical ploy but it's happened and plenty of them were engaged so there is a debate to be had. Personally I don't really care, i'm just living up to my name.