ce 7 December 2004); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government; former King ZAHIR Shah
holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and presides
symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any governing
authority; the honorific is not hereditary
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both
chief of state and head of government
cabinet: 27 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers
are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by
direct vote for a five-year 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; a president
can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004
(next to be held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -
Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ
11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda
JALAL 1.2%

Legislative branch:
nonfunctioning as of January 2004; government is empowered by the
constitution to issue legislation by decree until the new assembly
is seated; under the new constitution, the bicameral National
Assembly will consist of the Wolesi Jirga or House of People (no
more than 249 seats), directly elected for a five-year term, and the
Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats, one third elected from
provincial councils for a four-year term, one third elected from
local district councils for a three-year term, and one third
presidential appointees for a five-year term; the presidential
appointees will include two representatives of Kuchis and two
representatives of the disabled; half of the presidential appointees
will be women)
note: on rare occasions the government may convene the Loya Jirga 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: scheduled for spring 2005

Judicial branch:
the new constitution establishes a nine-member Stera Mahkama or
Supreme Court (its n