President of Afghanistan

Afghanistan has only been a republic between 1973 and 1992 and from 2001 onwards. Before 1973, it was a monarchy that was governed by a variety of kings, emirs or shahs. From 1992 to 2001, during the civil war, the country was recognized as the Islamic State of Afghanistan and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.


The constitution of Afghanistan grants the president wide powers over military and legislative affairs, with a relatively weak national parliament. These were a subject of considerable controversy when debated by the country's loya jirga in December 2003. However, they were seen by the interim administration and its Western backers as being essential to securing the stability of Afghanistan.