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.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
American universities are losing ground to their foreign counterpartsThe Explainer While Harvard is still near the top, other colleges have slipped
-
How to navigate dating apps to find ‘the one’The Week Recommends Put an end to endless swiping and make real romantic connections
-
Elon Musk’s pivot from Mars to the moonIn the Spotlight SpaceX shifts focus with IPO approaching
