index

Afghanistan

Flag Description

Three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a gold emblem centred on the red band; the emblem features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above.

Election type: Parliamentary

Election date: 18 September 2005

Number of registered voters: 9 716 413 (as at 30 September 2004)

Compulsory voting: No

Type: Islamic Republic

Chief of State: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004). The president is both the chief of state and head of government. Former King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presides symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any governing authority. The honorific is not hereditary.

Party in Government: Transitional Authority. The government is empowered by the constitution to issue legislation by decree until the new assembly is seated. Under the new constitution, the bicameral National Assembly will consist of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for a five-year term, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one third elected from provincial councils for a four-year term, one third elected from local district councils for a three-year term, and one third presidential appointees for a five-year term. The presidential appointees will include two representatives of Kuchis and two representatives of the disabled. Half of the presidential appointees will be women).

On rare occasions the government may convene the Loya Jirga (the grand council, made up of tribal elders, which chose the new transitional government) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity. It can amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president and is made up of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils.

Suffrage: universal at 18

A United Nations Press Release of 24 June 2005 discusses the worsening security situation which is impacting heavily on the preparations for the upcoming elections. Examples of issues discussed include the opening of electoral administration offices, provision of physical security, nomination of candidates having links to armed groups, updating the voter registry, disarmament of former army units, reintegration of members of the Taliban and Hezb-Islami, post-electoral Afghanistan and peace-building along with other issues in this very complex environment.

The International Crisis Group (ICG) website gives a comprehensive coverage of the situation in Afghanistan. Included are sections on the elections, security, the role of the JEMB (Joint Electoral Management Body), the United Nations and NATO/ISAF (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation/International Security Assistance Force), background to the conflict, analysis, news, significant documents, maps and statistics.

The Wolesi Jirga [the House of the People] and Provincial Council Elections Afghanistan 2005 website provides updates on the progress towards Parliamentary elections which were initially scheduled for April 2005.  According to a Special Announcement from the Special Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG) of the United Nations, dated 24 June 2005, the updating of the voter registry will commence on 25 June and close on 21 July, so the election date cannot be before this date. Also mentioned is the progress towards an electoral administration structure, candidate nominations, possible violence and election funding.

An ICG report of 21 July 2005 entitled Afghanistan: endgame or new beginning? discusses election management, funding, seat allocation, reserved seats for women, out-of-country voting, voter registration, civic education, campaigning, candidate nomination, political party manoeuvring, vetting, extremist violence, domestic intimidation, disarmament, electoral fraud, complaints, appeals, post-election issues such as the National Assembly, provincial councils, future local government structures and future elections.

Election results: National summary from the United Nations Afghan elections website courtesy of Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive.

At the very comprehensive Wolesi Jirga and Provincial Council Elections Afghanistan 2005 website you will find a map, information on voter turnout by province, voter turnout by gender, invalid ballots, the counting process, the Post-election Strategy Group Preliminary Report and, an election overview.

Comment on the elections may be seen at a Guardian Special Report on Afghanistan.

The counting and checking of results from the Parliamentary and Provincial elections have been completed as described in this BBC News article of 12 November 2005 entitled Final Afghan election results out.

For copyright reasons some linked items are only available to members of Parliament.

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Last reviewed 16 November, 2005 by the Parliamentary Library Web Manager
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