Elections in Afghanistan were conducted using a two-round system until the Taliban took over in August 2021. If no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round was held featuring the top two candidates from the first round. The president was elected to a five-year term and could serve a maximum of two terms.
The National Assembly of Afghanistan was a bicameral legislature consisting of the Wolesi Jirga (lower house) and the Meshrano Jirga (upper house). The Wolesi Jirga had 249 members who were elected by popular vote, while the Meshrano Jirga had 102 members who were appointed by the president, provincial councils, and religious leaders.
The most recent presidential election in Afghanistan was held in September 2019. The incumbent president, Ashraf Ghani, won the election with 50.6% of the vote, defeating his challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, who received 44.8% of the vote.
The Taliban has not yet announced any plans to hold elections, and it is unclear if or when they will do so.
