New constitution

last updated 8 January 2015

Kabul

Afghans have drawn up their new constitution, which provides for a strong presidential system similar to the U.S. model. The president will appoint a Cabinet and nine Supreme Court justices, while in the legislature one-sixth of the seats will be reserved for women. The draft contains many human-rights protections, reflecting Afghans’ desire to avoid the extremes of their past—including the state terror of the communist era, the anarchy of the war years, and the brutal repression under the Taliban’s sharia law. While Islam is recognized as the state religion, freedom of worship is guaranteed. The constitution is expected to be approved at a loya jirga, or tribal council, next month.