Evolution of the Executive Branch in Afghanistan: A Look Back and Recommendations on the Way Forward

After the fall of the Taliban in 2001, Afghan leaders gathered to build the framework for a new democratic government for Afghanistan. At the Bonn Conference, a plan was put in place to draft and adopt a new Constitution in 2004, as a significant step toward the country’s first presidential election. Thirteen years later, it is appropriate to evaluate the performance of Afghanistan’s Constitution in terms of advancing its adopted system of governance and, in particular, whether the executive branch in its current form is suited to meet the needs of the country. This paper describes the evolution of the executive branch in Afghanistan. In tracing Afghanistan’s constitutional history, this study seeks to place the current National Unity Government (NUG) in historical context, derive the lessons learned from past experience and provide realistic and tangible recommendations on the way forward, from a constitutional perspective.