Independence: 19 August 1919 (from UK)
National holiday: Victory of the Muslim Nation, 28 April; Remembrance
Day for Martyrs and Disabled, 4 May; Independence Day, 19 August
Constitution: none
Legal system: a new legal system has not been adopted but the transitional government has declared it will follow Islamic law (Shari'a)
Suffrage: undetermined; previously males 15-50 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Burhanuddin RABBANI (Interim President July-
December 1992; President since 2 January 1993); Vice President
Mohammad NABI MOHAMMADI (since NA); election last held 31 December
1992 (next to be held NA); results - Burhanuddin RABBANI was elected
to a two-year term by a national shura, later amended by multi-party
agreement to 18 months; note - in June 1994 failure to agree on a
transfer mechanism resulted in RABBANI's extending the term to
28 December 1994; following the expiration of the term and while
negotiations on the formation of a new government go on, RABBANI
continues in office head of government: Prime Minister of the Council
of Ministers Aleksander Gabriel MEKSI (since 10 April 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
Note: term of present government expired 28 December 1994; factional fighting since 1 January 1994 has kept government officers from actually occupying ministries and discharging government responsibilities; the government's authority to remove cabinet members, including the Prime Minister, following the expiration of their term is questionable
Legislative branch: a unicameral parliament consisting of 205 members was chosen by the shura in January 1993; non-functioning as of June 1993
Judicial branch: an interim Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has
been appointed, but a new court system has not yet been organized
Political parties and leaders: current political organizations include
Jamiat-i-Islami (Islamic Society), Burhanuddin RABBANI, Ahmad Shah
MASOOD; Hizbi Islami-Gulbuddin (Islamic Party), Gulbuddin HIKMATYAR
faction; Hizbi Islami-Khalis (Islamic Party), Yunis KHALIS faction;
Ittihad-i-Islami Barai Azadi Afghanistan (Islamic Union for the
Liberation of Afghanistan), Abdul Rasul SAYYAF;
Harakat-Inqilab-i-Islami (Islamic Revolutionary Movement), Mohammad
Nabi MOHAMMADI; Jabha-i-Najat-i-Milli Afghanistan (Afghanistan
National Liberation Front), Sibghatullah MOJADDEDI;
Mahaz-i-Milli-Islami (National Islamic Front), Sayed Ahamad GAILANI;
Hizbi Wahdat-Khalili faction (Islamic Unity Party), Abdul Karim
KHALILI; Hizbi Wahdat-Akbari faction (Islamic Unity Party), Mohammad
Akbar AKBARI; Harakat-i-Islami (Islamic Movement), Mohammed Asif
MOHSENI; Jumbesh-i-Milli Islami (National Islamic Movement), Abdul
Rashid DOSTAM; Taliban (Religious Students Movement), Mohammad OMAR