Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Jirga / National Assembly |
Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Meshrano Jirga / House of Elders |
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Wolesi Jirga / House of the People
|
BACKGROUND |
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
10 January 2015 |
Timing and scope of renewal |
Renewal of the 34 members indirectly elected by the Provincial Councils. |
The statutory number of members of the House of Elders is three times the number of existing provinces (currently 34) comprising the following members.
- 68 indirectly elected members: These include one representative from each of the 34 Provincial Councils serving a four-year term; and one representative from each of the 34 local District Councils serving a three-year term.
- 34 appointed members: appointed by the President for a five-year term.
On 5 April 2014, elections to the Provincial Councils were held in parallel with presidential elections
On 10 January 2015, 34 representatives (one from each of the 34 Provincial Councils), including three women, were elected. They will serve a four-year term.
On the same day, the three year term of the 34 Provincial Council members (who had been filling the 34 seats reserved for District Council members) expired.
As at 10 January 2015, the House of Elders comprised 18 women out of 68 members.
The 34 seats reserved for the District Councils will remain vacant until District Council elections are held.
The mandate of 34 members, appointed on 22 January 2011 for a five-year term, was due to expire in January 2016. On 7 January 2016, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani extended their mandate until parliamentary and district elections are held. |
STATISTICS |
Voter turnout |
Distribution of votes |
|
Distribution of seats |
|
Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
84
18
17.65%
|
Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
Comments |
Source: House of Elders (19.01.2015, 25.01.2015, 29.11.2015, 23.01.2016, 27.01.2016, 28.02.2017) |