Election Profile:

Flag of Afghanistan Source for election date

At stake in this election:

  • 249 seats in the House of People (Wolesi Jirga)

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: President Hamid KARZAI *
  • Head of Government: Head of Government Hamid KARZAI
  • Assembly: Afghanistan has a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the House of People (Wolesi Jirga) with 249 seats and the House of Elders (Meshrano Jirga) with 102 seats.

* The president is both chief of state and head of government.

Description of electoral system:

  • The President is elected by direct vote to serve a 5-year term.
  • In the House of People (Wolesi Jirga) 249 members are elected by direct vote to serve 5-year terms*. In the House of Elders (Meshrano Jirga), 34 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 4-year terms, 34 members are elected by direct popular vote to serve 3-year terms and 34 members are appointed by the president to serve 5-year terms.**

* The total number of seats may vary, but can be no more than 249 seats.

** The presidential appointees will include two representatives of Kuchis and two representatives of the disabled; half of the presidential appointees will be women.

Main parties in the electoral race:

  • Party: Youth Solidarity Party of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Mohammad Jamil KARZAI
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: Afghan Nation / Hezb-e-Afghan Melat
    Leader: Anwarul Haq AHADI
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: National Congress Party of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Kangra-e-Mili-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Abdul Latif PEDRAM
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Mohammad Karim KHALILI
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: Islamic Unity Party of the People of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Haji Mohammad MUHAQEQ
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: National Movement of Afghanistan / Nahzat-e-Mili Afghanistan
    Leader: Ahmad Wali MASSOUD
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Junbish Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Sayed NOORULLAH
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: National Islamic Front of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Mahaz-e-Mili Islami-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Peer Sayed Ahmad GAILANEE
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: Islamic People's Movement of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Islami Mardom-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Ilhaj Sayed Hussin ANWARY
    Seats won in last House of People election: 0
  • Party: Party of the Islamic Society of Afghanistan / Hezb-e-Jamihat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Ustad RABANEE
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: Afghanistan's Islamic Mission Organization / Tanzim Dawat-e-Islami-e-Afghanistan
    Leader: Abdul Rab Rasoul SAYAF
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A
  • Party: Afghanistan Party / Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Naween)
    Leader: Mohammad Younus QANONI
    Seats won in last House of People election: N/A

Last Parliamentary election:

  • This is the first time Afghanistan held parliamentary elections since the establishment of the transitional government.

Population and number of registered voters:

  • Population: 29,928,987 (July 2005 est.)
  • Registered Voters: 12,500,000 (September 2005 est. )

Last Updated on 12/16/2005