to be held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -
Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANUNI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ
11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda
JALAL 1.2%

Legislative branch:

the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi Jirga or
House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for
five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102
seats, one-third 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)
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 18 September 2005 (next to be held for the
Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincial
councils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008)
election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system
used in the election did not make use of political party slates;
most candidates ran as independents

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 [Tawos ARAB];
Democratic Party of Afghanistan [Abdul Kabir RANJBAR]; Elites People
of Afghani