August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign affairs)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 19 August (1919)
Constitution:
constitution drafted 14 December 2003–4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004; ratified 26 January 2004
Legal system:
based on mixed civil and sharia law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Mohammad FAHIM Khan (since 19 November 2009); Second Vice President Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); First Vice President Mohammad
FAHIM Khan (since 19 November 2009); Second Vice President Abdul
Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004)
cabinet: 25 ministers; note - ministers are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the president and two vice presidents elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a second round; election last held on 20 August 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: Hamid KARZAI reelected president; percent of vote (first round) - Hamid KARZAI 49.67%, Abdullah ABDULLAH 30.59%, Ramazan BASHARDOST 10.46%, Ashraf GHANI 2.94%; other 6.34%; note - ABDULLAH conceded the election to KARZAI following the first round vote
Legislative branch:
the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one-third of members elected from provincial councils for four-year terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year terms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms) and the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no more than 250 seats); members directly elected for five-year terms
note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils
elections: last held on 18 September 2010 (next election expected in 2015)
election results: NA
Judicial branch:
the constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for 10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga) and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a minister of justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with investigating human rights abuses and war crimes
Political parties and leaders:
Afghanistan Peoples' Treaty Party [Sayyed Amir TAHSEEN];
Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization [Abdul Rasoul SAYYAF];
Afghanistan's Islamic Nation Party [Toran Noor Aqa Ahmad ZAI];
Afghanistan's National Islamic Party [Rohullah LOUDIN];
Afghanistan's Welfare Party [Meer Asef ZAEEFI]; Afghan Social
Democratic Party [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; Afghan Society for the Call to
the Koran and Sunna [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Comprehensive
Movement of Democracy and Development of Afghanistan Party [Sher
Mohammad BAZGAR]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Al-hajj Mohammad
Tawos ARAB]; Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR];
Elites People of Afghanistan Party [Abdul Hamid JAWAD]; Freedom and
Democracy Movement of Afghanistan [Abdul Raqib Jawid KOHISTANEE];
Freedom Party of Afghanistan [Abdul MALEK]; Freedom Party of
Afghanistan [Dr. Ghulam Farooq NEJRABEE]; Hizullah-e-Afghanistan
[Qari Ahmad ALI]; Human Rights Protection and Development Party of
Afghanistan [Baryalai NASRATI]; Islamic Justice Party of Afghanistan
[Mohammad Kabir MARZBAN]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Mohammad
Ali JAWID]; Islamic Movement of Afghanistan Party [Mohammad Mukhtar
MUFLEH]; Islamic Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Khalid FAROOQI,
Abdul Hadi ARGHANDIWAL]; Islamic Party of the Afghan Land [Mohammad
Hassan FEROZKHEL]; Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan [Al-haj
Said Hussain ANWARY]; Islamic Society of Afghanistan [Ustad
RABBANI]; Islamic Unity of the Nation of Afghanistan Party [Qurban
Ali URFANI]; Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
KHALILI]; Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan [Haji
Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Labor and Progress of Afghanistan Party
[Zulfiqar OMID]; Muslim People of Afghanistan Party [Besmellah
JOYAN]; Muslim Unity Movement Party of Afghanistan [Wazir Mohammad
WAHDAT]; National and Islamic Sovereignty Movement Party of
Afghanistan [Ahmad Shah AHMADZAI]; National Congress Party of
Afghanistan [Abdul Latif PEDRAM]; National Country Party [Ghulam
MOHAMMAD]; National Development Party of Afghanistan [Dr. Assef
BAKTASH]; National Freedom Seekers Party [Abdul Hadi DABEER];
National Independence Party of Afghanistan [Taj Mohammad WARDAK];
National Islamic Fighters Party of Afghanistan [Amanat NINGARHAREE];
National Islamic Front of Afghanistan [Pir Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE];
National Islamic Moderation Party of Afghanistan [Qara Baik
IZADYAR]; National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan [Sayed NOORULLAH]
National Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan [Mohammad AKBAREE];
