Political system of Afghanistan

Coat of arms of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

The political system of Afghanistan is based on the Afghan constitution, which came into force on January 26, 2004. It says that Afghanistan is an Islamic Republic and has a presidential system in which the President acts as head of state , head of government and commander in chief of the armed forces . However, since 2014 the function of head of government has been de facto taken over by the Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan. Acting President is Ashraf Ghani with his representatives and Vice-Presidents Abdul Raschid Dostum and Sarwar Danisch , Acting Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah .

Afghanistan's politics have been shaped by war for decades . Since 2001 and the associated expulsion of the Taliban , the NATO countries have been active in building security and in the democratization process in Afghanistan.

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The National Assembly of Afghanistan in Parliament (2006)

The constitution is considered to be one of the most democratic in the Islamic world and provides for equal rights for members of all religions and ethnic groups, as well as for the sexes.

The president is directly elected by the people for a term of five years. After two terms in office, the president is not allowed to run again. A presidential candidate must be at least 40 years old, a Muslim and an Afghan citizen. The applicant nominates two vice-presidential applicants. The President is head of state and government and commander in chief of the military armed forces. His powers also include appointing his cabinet and filling positions in the military, police and provincial governments with the approval of parliament.

The National Assembly is the legislature of Afghanistan and consists of two houses: the Wolesi Jirga ( House of the People ) and the Meschrano Jirga ( House of the Elders ). The Wolesi Jirga consists of 249 seats, 68 of which are reserved for women and ten for the nomad minority of the Kuchis . The MPs are determined by direct election, with the number of seats in proportion to the population of the respective province. At least two women per province must be elected. A legislative term lasts five years. No parties are allowed to vote. The name, photo and symbol of the candidate who is not allowed to be associated with armed organizations appear on the ballot paper. The elected officials receive no immunity from the law. The Meschrano Jirga consists of one third each of delegates, who are appointed by the provincial or district councils for four years, and one third of members who are appointed by the president, half of which must be women. The Loja Jirga , an assembly of tribal leaders and other moral and spiritual leaders, is also consulted when making important, groundbreaking decisions .

The judiciary is made up of the Stera Mahkama (Supreme Court) , the Court of Appeal and lower courts for specific jurisdictions. The Stera Mahkama consists of nine judges who are nominated by the President for a ten-year term and confirmed by Parliament. Judges must be at least 40 years of age, must not belong to any political party, and have a degree in law or Islamic jurisprudence. The Stera Mahkama also has the powers of a constitutional court .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Ahmed Rashid: Descent into Chaos: the United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Afghanistan. Viking, New York 2008, ISBN 978-0-670-01970-0 , p. 217.