KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – DI recently released “Consensus Recommendations for Electoral Reform in Afghanistan.” This publication lists 34 recommendations for electoral reform in Afghanistan, which are based on a comprehensive review and analysis of recommendations presented by a wide range of stakeholders to Afghanistan’s election process. These recommendations have been drawn from 437 unique recommendations presented by Afghan civil society organizations, international observer missions, assistance organizations, independent election experts, and others.

DI believes these recommendations represent the major points of consensus for electoral reform in Afghanistan. It is important to stress that these recommendations are not the independent positions of Democracy International. They are the result of a review of hundreds of documents and are inclusive of the opinions of a wide range of stakeholders. We hope they can help form the foundation for an all inclusive effort both to improve Afghanistan’s election system in the long run, but also to strengthen specific aspects in preparation for upcoming parliamentary elections.

U.S.-based Democracy International provides analytical services, technical assistance, and project implementation for democracy and governance programs worldwide. Since its founding in 2003, DI has worked in 70 countries. DI conducted comprehensive election observation programs in Afghanistan for presidential elections in 2009 and parliamentary elections in 2010 and has maintained a presence and conducted programs in the country continuously since 2009. DI has also conducted election observation missions and election-assistance programs in Albania, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Indonesia, Liberia, Pakistan, Sudan and South Sudan.