This assignment is based on the International Crisis Group report Afghanistans parties in Transition Considering the report please answer the following questions:

1. What are the main challenges to having free and fair elections in Afghanistan? 2. How would you characterize the party system in Afghanistan? What are the main cleavages in Afghanistan? 3. What was the rationale for the 2012 law that requires political parties to establish offices in a minimum of 22 provinces? 4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having strict rules for creating political parties? 5. How do you interpret this statement Legitimacy in this election would be conferred by the loser? 6. If you were to design an electoral system for Afghanistan, what kind of system would you propose (Consider district magnitude and rules for the distribution of votes: Proportional Representation or majority rules)? 7. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of the system you propose? 8. Is this election law still in place in Afghanistan?

Please answer questions 1-8

Thank you