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Constitution Gives President ‘Extraordinary Power’

Mohammad Natiqi, the head of the commission overseeing the implementation of the political agreement of the National Unity Government (NUG), reiterated a call on Wednesday for radical reforms to be implemented in the Constitution of Afghanistan so as to curb the president’s power.  

Right now, the president has an enormous amount of power, in accordance with the Constitution; the president holds extraordinary powers “like a Sultan” and the Constitution needs to be amended, said Natiqi.

Meanwhile, the Office of CEO Abdullah Abdullah has also called for fundamental reforms to be brought to the Constitution by holding a constitutional Loya Jirga (council of elders). 

Natiqi made the remarks during a special gathering marking Constitution Week.

“Article 60 to 77 notes the power and authorities of the president; enormous power has been prescribed to the president - like a Sultan - and sometimes even beyond that. The president has been granted enormous powers in the political, economic, security (sectors) and in several other areas,” said Natiqi.

“Based on the NUG agreement, the implementation of cabinet decisions was supposed to be on the authority of the chief executive officer, but the chief executive officer does not have any role in the implementation of these affairs,” said Natiqi, referring to alleged monopoly of power by ARG (Presidential Palace). 

Meanwhile, the Office of CEO Abdullah Abdullah has also called for fundamental reforms to be brought to the Constitution by holding a constitutional Loya Jirga (council of elders). 

Natiqi also criticized the deficiency shown in this respect by the CEO.

“The agreement has granted a number of authorities to the chief executive officer so that he can have executive authorities in all institutions, but it is totally in contrast to the agreement, the chief executive officer does not have any authority and all executive authorities are handled by the Presidential Palace,” added Natiqi. 

But, the CEO’s spokesman Mujiburrahman Rahimi has accused those sharing power of betrayal.

He also called for a change in the current system. 

“The chief executive officer is still committed to changing the political system, amending the Constitution, implementing the political agreement and decentralizing power,” said Rahimi. 

In the meantime, a number of legal experts have said that over a hundred articles in the Constitution need to be amended. They said that the controversial articles have added to the problems faced by the nation. 

“There are political reasons for amending the Constitution, there is a need to amend over 100 articles of the Constitution,” said legal expert, Ainuddin Bahaduri.

Participants at the gathering however said that the centralization of power in the Constitution is one of the biggest issues the country is facing today. 

Constitution Gives President ‘Extraordinary Power’

NUG commission head says the Constitution allows the country’s president to have too much power and likened the amount to that of a Sultan. 

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Mohammad Natiqi, the head of the commission overseeing the implementation of the political agreement of the National Unity Government (NUG), reiterated a call on Wednesday for radical reforms to be implemented in the Constitution of Afghanistan so as to curb the president’s power.  

Right now, the president has an enormous amount of power, in accordance with the Constitution; the president holds extraordinary powers “like a Sultan” and the Constitution needs to be amended, said Natiqi.

Meanwhile, the Office of CEO Abdullah Abdullah has also called for fundamental reforms to be brought to the Constitution by holding a constitutional Loya Jirga (council of elders). 

Natiqi made the remarks during a special gathering marking Constitution Week.

“Article 60 to 77 notes the power and authorities of the president; enormous power has been prescribed to the president - like a Sultan - and sometimes even beyond that. The president has been granted enormous powers in the political, economic, security (sectors) and in several other areas,” said Natiqi.

“Based on the NUG agreement, the implementation of cabinet decisions was supposed to be on the authority of the chief executive officer, but the chief executive officer does not have any role in the implementation of these affairs,” said Natiqi, referring to alleged monopoly of power by ARG (Presidential Palace). 

Meanwhile, the Office of CEO Abdullah Abdullah has also called for fundamental reforms to be brought to the Constitution by holding a constitutional Loya Jirga (council of elders). 

Natiqi also criticized the deficiency shown in this respect by the CEO.

“The agreement has granted a number of authorities to the chief executive officer so that he can have executive authorities in all institutions, but it is totally in contrast to the agreement, the chief executive officer does not have any authority and all executive authorities are handled by the Presidential Palace,” added Natiqi. 

But, the CEO’s spokesman Mujiburrahman Rahimi has accused those sharing power of betrayal.

He also called for a change in the current system. 

“The chief executive officer is still committed to changing the political system, amending the Constitution, implementing the political agreement and decentralizing power,” said Rahimi. 

In the meantime, a number of legal experts have said that over a hundred articles in the Constitution need to be amended. They said that the controversial articles have added to the problems faced by the nation. 

“There are political reasons for amending the Constitution, there is a need to amend over 100 articles of the Constitution,” said legal expert, Ainuddin Bahaduri.

Participants at the gathering however said that the centralization of power in the Constitution is one of the biggest issues the country is facing today. 

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