This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2010) |
Part of the Politics series |
Elections |
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For each de jure and de facto sovereign state and dependent territory an article on elections in that entity has been included and information on the way the head of state, head of government, and the legislature is selected. Merged cells for "head of state" and "head of government" indicate the office is the same for that country; merged cells for "lower house" and "upper house" indicate a unicameral legislature. The linked articles include the results of the elections. For a chronological order, see the electoral calendar.
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Abkhazia | Direct election [1] | Direct election [1] | ||
![]() | Afghanistan | Autocrat elected by legislature [2] [3] [4] | Appointment by autocrat [2] | Appointment by autocrat [5] | |
![]() | Åland | President of Finland | Election by legislature | Direct election | |
![]() | Albania | Election by legislature [6] | Election by legislature [6] | Direct election [6] | |
![]() | Algeria | Direct election [7] | Election by legislature [7] | Direct election [7] | Partially elected by electoral college, rest appointed by President [7] |
![]() | American Samoa | President of the United States [8] | Direct election [8] | Direct election [8] | Election by regional governing councils [8] |
![]() | Andorra | The President of France and the Bishop of Urgell are co-heads of state [9] | Election by legislature [9] | Direct election [9] | |
![]() | Angola | Election by legislature [10] | Direct election [10] | ||
![]() | Anguilla | Monarchy [11] | Election by legislature [11] | Direct election and appointments [11] | |
![]() | Antigua and Barbuda | Monarchy [12] | Election by legislature [12] | Direct election [12] | Appointments [12] |
![]() | Argentina | Direct election [13] | Direct election [13] | ||
![]() | Armenia | Election by Legislature | Election by Legislature | Direct election [14] | |
![]() | Aruba | Monarch of the Netherlands [15] | Election by legislature [15] | Direct election [15] | |
![]() | Australia | Monarchy [16] | Election by legislature [16] | Direct election [16] | |
![]() | Austria | Direct election [17] | Election by legislature [17] | Direct election [17] | Indirect election [17] |
![]() | Azerbaijan | Direct election [18] | Appointment by head of state [18] | Direct election [18] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Bahamas | Monarchy [19] | Election by legislature [19] | Direct election [19] | Appointments [19] |
![]() | Bahrain | Monarchy [20] | Appointment by head of state [20] | Direct election [20] | Appointments [20] |
![]() | Bangladesh | Election by legislature [21] | Election by legislature [21] | Direct and indirect election [21] | |
![]() | Barbados | Election by legislature [22] | Election by legislature [21] | Direct election [22] | Appointments [22] |
![]() | Belarus | Direct election [23] | Appointment by head of state [23] | Direct election [23] | Indirect election and appointments [23] |
![]() | Belgium | Monarchy [24] | Election by legislature [24] | Direct election [24] | Indirect election [24] |
![]() | Belize | Monarchy [25] | Election by legislature [25] | Direct election [25] | Appointments [25] |
![]() | Benin | Direct election [26] | Direct election [26] | ||
![]() | Bermuda | Monarchy [27] | Election by legislature [27] | Direct election [27] | Appointments [27] |
![]() | Bhutan | Monarchy [28] | Elected by legislature [28] | Direct election [28] | Direct election and appointments [28] |
![]() | Bolivia | Direct election [29] | Direct election [29] | ||
![]() | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Rotating presidency of directly elected candidates [30] | Appointment by head of state [30] | Direct election [30] | Indirect election [30] |
![]() | Botswana | Election by legislature [31] | Direct election [31] | Hereditary and appointments [31] | |
![]() | Brazil | Direct election [32] | Direct election [32] | Direct election [32] | |
![]() | British Virgin Islands | Monarchy [33] | Election by legislature [33] | Direct election [33] | |
![]() | Brunei | Monarchy [34] | Appointments by head of state [34] | ||
![]() | Bulgaria | Direct election [35] | Election by legislature [35] | Direct election [35] | |
![]() | Burkina Faso | Direct election [36] | Appointment by head of state [36] | Direct election [36] | |
Burma see Myanmar | |||||
![]() | Burundi | Direct election [37] | Direct election and co-option [37] | Indirect election [37] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
Cabo Verde see Cape Verde | |||||
![]() | Cambodia | Monarch elected by Royal Council [38] | Election by lower house of legislature [38] | Direct election [38] | Indirect election and appointments [38] |
![]() | Cameroon | Direct election [39] | Appointment by head of state [39] | Direct election [39] | Indirect election and appointments [39] |
![]() | Canada | Monarchy [40] | Election by lower house of legislature [40] | Direct election [40] | Appointments [40] |
![]() | Cape Verde | Direct election [41] | Appointment by head of state [41] | Direct election [41] | |
![]() | Cayman Islands | Monarchy [42] | Election by legislature [42] | Direct election and appointments [42] | |
![]() | Central African Republic | Direct election [43] | Appointment by head of state [44] | Direct election [43] | |
![]() | Chad | Direct election [45] | Appointment by head of state [45] | Direct election [45] | |
![]() | Chile | Direct election [46] | Direct election [46] | ||
![]() | China | Election by legislature [47] | Appointment by head of state [47] | Indirect election [47] | |
![]() | Colombia | Direct election [48] | Direct election [48] | Direct election [48] | |
![]() | Comoros | Direct election [49] | Direct and indirect election [49] | ||
Congo (Brazzaville) see Republic of the Congo | |||||
Congo (Kinshasa) see Democratic Republic of the Congo | |||||
![]() | Cook Islands | Monarchy [50] | Election by legislature [50] | Direct election [50] | |
![]() | Costa Rica | Direct election [51] | Direct election [51] | ||
![]() | Côte d'Ivoire | Direct election [52] | Appointment by head of state [52] | Direct election [52] | |
![]() | Croatia | Direct election [53] | Election by legislature [53] | Direct election [53] | |
![]() | Cuba | Election by legislature [54] | Direct election [54] | ||
![]() | Curaçao | Monarch of the Netherlands [55] | Election by legislature [55] | Direct election [55] | |
![]() | Cyprus | Direct election [56] | Direct election [56] | ||
![]() | Czech Republic | Direct election [57] | Appointment by head of state [57] | Direct election [57] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Direct election [58] | Appointment by head of state [58] | Direct election [58] | Indirect election [58] |
![]() | Denmark | Monarchy [59] | Election by legislature [59] | Direct election [59] | |
![]() | Djibouti | Direct election [60] | Appointment by head of state [60] | Direct election [60] | |
![]() | Dominica | Election by legislature [61] | Appointment by head of state [61] | Direct election and appointments [61] | |
![]() | Dominican Republic | Direct election [62] | Direct election [62] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | East Timor | Direct election [63] | Election by legislature [63] | Direct election [63] | |
![]() | Ecuador | Direct election [64] | Direct election [64] | ||
![]() | Egypt | Direct election [65] | Appointment by head of state [65] | Direct election and appointments [65] | |
![]() | El Salvador | Direct election [66] | Direct election [66] | ||
![]() | Equatorial Guinea | Direct election [67] | Appointment by head of state [67] | Direct election [67] | Direct election and appointments [67] |
![]() | Eritrea | Election by legislature [68] | Direct and indirect election [68] | ||
![]() | Estonia | Election by legislature and/or electoral college [69] | Appointment by head of state [69] | Direct election [69] | |
![]() | Eswatini | Monarchy [70] | Appointment by head of state [70] | Election by traditional local councils and appointments [70] | Election by lower house and appointments [70] |
![]() | Ethiopia | Election by legislature [71] | Election by legislature [71] | Direct election [71] | Indirect election [71] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Falkland Islands | Monarchy [72] | Indirect appointment by monarch [72] | Direct election and appointments [72] | |
![]() | Faroe Islands | Monarch of Denmark [73] | Election by legislature [73] | Direct election [73] | |
Federated States of Micronesia see Micronesia | |||||
![]() | Fiji | Election by legislature [74] | Appointment by president [74] | Direct election [74] | |
![]() | Finland | Direct election [75] | Election by legislature [75] | Direct election [75] | |
![]() | France | Direct election [76] | Appointment by president [76] | Direct election [76] | Indirect election [76] |
![]() | French Polynesia | President of France [77] | Election by legislature [77] | Direct election [77] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Gabon | Direct election [78] | Appointment by head of state [78] | Direct election [78] | Indirect election [78] |
![]() | Gambia | Direct election [79] | Direct election and appointments [79] | ||
![]() | Georgia | Direct election [80] | Election by legislature [80] | Direct election [80] | |
![]() | Germany | Election by electoral college [81] | Election by legislature [81] | Direct election [81] | Representation of state governments [81] |
![]() | Ghana | Direct election [82] | Direct election [82] | ||
![]() | Gibraltar | Monarchy [83] | Election by legislature [83] | Direct and indirect election [83] | |
![]() | Greece | Election by legislature [84] | Election by legislature [84] | Direct election [84] | |
![]() | Greenland | Monarch of Denmark [85] | Election by legislature [85] | Direct election [85] | |
![]() | Grenada | Monarchy [86] | Election by legislature [86] | Direct election [86] | Appointment [86] |
![]() | Guam | President of the United States [87] | Direct election [87] | Direct election [87] | |
![]() | Guatemala | Direct election [88] | Direct election [88] | ||
![]() | Guernsey | Monarchy [89] | Election by legislature [89] | Direct election [89] | |
![]() | Guinea | Direct election [90] | Appointment by head of state [90] | Direct election [90] | |
![]() | Guinea-Bissau | Direct election [91] | Appointment by head of state [91] | Direct election [91] | |
![]() | Guyana | Election by legislature [92] | Direct election [92] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Haiti | Direct election [93] | Appointment by head of state [94] | Direct election [93] | |
![]() | Honduras | Direct election [95] | Direct election [95] | ||
![]() | Hong Kong | Election by election committee followed by appointment by state council [96] | Election by election committee followed by appointment by state council [96] | Direct election and indirect election [96] | |
Holy See see Vatican City | |||||
![]() | Hungary | Election by legislature [97] | Election by legislature [97] | Direct election [97] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Iceland | Direct election [98] | Election by legislature [98] | Direct election [98] | |
![]() | India | Election by electoral college [99] | Election by legislature [99] | Direct election [99] | Indirect election [99] |
![]() | Indonesia | Direct election [100] | Direct election [100] | ||
![]() | Iran | Election by Assembly of Experts [101] | Direct election [101] | Direct election and appointment [101] | |
![]() | Iraq | Election by legislature [102] | Election by legislature [102] | Direct election [102] | |
![]() | Ireland | Direct election [103] | Election by legislature's lower house [103] | Direct election [103] | Election by functional constituencies and appointment [103] |
![]() | Isle of Man | Monarchy [104] | Election by legislature [104] | Direct election [104] | Indirect election/ex officio [104] |
![]() | Israel | Election by legislature [105] | Appointment by president [106] | Direct election [105] | |
![]() | Italy | Election by legislature [107] | Appointment by president [107] | Direct election [107] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Jamaica | Monarchy [108] | Election by lower house of legislature [108] | Direct election [108] | Appointment [108] |
![]() | Japan | Monarchy [109] | Election by lower house of legislature [109] | Direct election [109] | |
![]() | Jersey | Monarchy [110] | Election by legislature [110] | Direct election [110] | |
![]() | Jordan | Monarchy [111] | Appointment by monarch [111] | Direct election [111] | Appointment by monarch [111] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Kazakhstan | Direct election [112] | Appointment by head of state [112] | Direct and indirect election [112] | Indirect election and appointments [112] |
![]() | Kenya | Direct election [113] | Direct election and appointments [113] | Direct election [113] | |
![]() | Kiribati | Direct election [114] | Direct election and appointments [114] | ||
Korea, North see North Korea | |||||
Korea, South see South Korea | |||||
![]() | Kosovo | Election by legislature [115] | Election by legislature [115] | Direct election [115] | |
![]() | Kuwait | Monarchy [116] | Appointment by head of state [116] | Direct election and appointments [116] | |
![]() | Kyrgyzstan | Direct election [117] | Election by legislature [117] | Direct election [117] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Laos | Election by legislature [118] | Election by legislature [118] | Direct election [118] | |
![]() | Latvia | Election by legislature [119] | Appointment by head of state [119] | Direct election [119] | |
![]() | Lebanon | Election by legislature [120] | Appointment by head of state [120] | Direct election [120] | |
![]() | Lesotho | Monarchy [121] | Election by lower house of legislature [121] | Direct election [121] | Appointments [121] |
![]() | Liberia | Direct election [122] | Direct election [122] | Direct election [122] | |
![]() | Libya | Head of Presidential Council [123] | Direct election [124] | ||
![]() | Liechtenstein | Monarchy [125] | Election by legislature [125] | Direct election [125] | |
![]() | Lithuania | Direct election [126] | Appointment by head of state [126] | Direct election [126] | |
![]() | Luxembourg | Monarchy [127] | Election by legislature [127] | Direct election [127] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Macau | Election by election committee [128] | Election by Election Committee [128] | Direct election, indirect election, and appointments [128] | |
![]() | Madagascar | Direct election [129] | Election by lower house of legislature [129] | Direct election [129] | Indirect election and appointments [129] |
![]() | Malawi | Direct election [130] | Direct election [130] | ||
![]() | Malaysia | Election by the rulers of the Malay states [131] | Election by lower house of legislature [131] | Direct election [131] | Indirect election and appointments [131] |
![]() | Maldives | Direct election [132] | Direct election [132] | ||
![]() | Mali | Direct election [133] | Appointment by head of state [133] | Direct election [133] | |
![]() | Malta | Election by legislature | Appointment by head of state | Direct election | |
![]() | Marshall Islands | Election by legislature | Direct election | ||
![]() | Mauritania | Direct election | Direct election | Indirect election | |
![]() | Mauritius | Election by legislature | Direct election | ||
![]() | Mexico | Direct election | Direct election | Direct election | |
![]() | Micronesia | Election by legislature | Direct election | ||
![]() | Moldova | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Monaco | Monarchy | Direct election | ||
![]() | Mongolia | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Montenegro | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Montserrat | Monarchy [134] | Election by legislature [134] | Direct election [134] | |
![]() | Morocco | Monarchy | Direct election | Indirect election and election by functional groups | |
![]() | Mozambique | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Myanmar | Election by legislature | Direct election and appointments |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Nagorno Karabakh | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Namibia | Direct election [135] | Direct election [135] | Indirect election [135] | |
![]() | Nauru | Election by legislature [136] | Direct election [136] | ||
![]() | Nepal | Indirect election [137] | Election by legislature [137] | Direct election [137] | Indirect election and appointments [137] |
![]() | Netherlands | Monarchy [138] | Election by legislature [138] | Direct election [138] | Indirect election [138] |
![]() | New Caledonia | President of France [139] | Election by legislature [139] | Indirect election [139] | |
![]() | New Zealand | Monarchy [140] | Election by legislature [140] | Direct election [140] | |
![]() | Nicaragua | Direct election [141] | Direct election and ex officio [141] | ||
![]() | Niger | Direct election [142] | Appointment by head of state [142] | Direct election [142] | |
![]() | Nigeria | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Niue | Monarchy [143] | Election by legislature [143] | Direct election [143] | |
![]() | Norfolk Island | Monarchy [144] | Indirect appointment by head of state [144] | Direct election [144] | |
![]() | North Korea | Elected by legislature [145] | Direct election | ||
![]() | North Macedonia | Direct election [146] | Election by legislature [146] | Direct election [146] | |
![]() | Northern Cyprus | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Northern Mariana Islands | President of the United States [147] | Direct election [147] | Direct election [147] | |
![]() | Norway | Monarchy | Direct election |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Oman | Monarchy [148] | Indirect election [148] | Appointments [148] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Pakistan | Election by legislature | Direct election | Indirect election | |
![]() | Palau | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Palestine | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Panama | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Papua New Guinea | Monarchy [149] | Election by legislature [149] | Direct election [149] | |
![]() | Paraguay | Direct election | Direct election | ||
People's Republic of China see China | |||||
![]() | Peru | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Philippines | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Pitcairn Islands | Monarchy [150] | Direct election [150] | Direct election and appointment [150] | |
![]() | Poland | Direct election | Appointment by head of state | Direct election | |
![]() | Portugal | Direct election | Appointment by head of state [151] | Direct election | |
![]() | Puerto Rico | President of the United States [152] | Direct election [152] | Direct election [152] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Qatar | Monarchy [153] | Appointed by monarch [153] | Appointed by monarch [153] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | |||||
Republic of China see Taiwan | ||||||
![]() | Republic of the Congo | Direct election | Direct election | Indirect election | ||
![]() | Romania | Direct election [154] | Appointed by head of state [154] | Direct election [154] | ||
![]() | Russia | Direct election | Direct election | Indirect election and appointments | ||
![]() | Rwanda | Direct election [155] | Appointment by head of state [155] | Direct election and appointments [155] | Indirect election and appointments [155] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | Appointment | Appointments | ||
![]() | Saint Helena | Monarchy [156] | Appointment by head of state [156] | Direct election and appointments [156] | |
![]() | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Monarchy [157] | Election by legislature [157] | Direct election and appointments [157] | |
![]() | Saint Lucia | Monarchy | Direct election | Appointments | |
![]() | Saint Pierre and Miquelon | President of France [158] | Election by legislature [158] | Direct election [158] | |
![]() | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Monarchy | Direct election and appointments | ||
![]() | Samoa | Election by legislature | Direct election | ||
![]() | San Marino | Election by legislature | Direct election | ||
![]() | São Tomé and Príncipe | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Saudi Arabia | Monarchy [159] | Appointment by monarch [159] | ||
![]() | Senegal | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Serbia | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Seychelles | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Sierra Leone | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Singapore | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Sint Maarten | Monarch of the Netherlands [160] | Election by legislature [160] | Direct election [160] | |
![]() | Slovakia | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Slovenia | Direct election | Direct election | Representation of interest groups | |
![]() | Solomon Islands | Monarchy [161] | Election by legislature [161] | Direct election [161] | |
![]() | Somalia | Direct election | Transition | ||
![]() | Somaliland | Direct election | Direct election | Traditional leaders | |
![]() | South Africa | Election by lower house of legislature [162] | Direct election [162] | Indirect election [162] | |
![]() | South Korea | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | South Ossetia | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | South Sudan | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Spain | Monarchy | Election by legislature | Direct election | Direct and indirect election |
![]() | Sri Lanka | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Sudan | Direct election | Appointments due to transition | Indirect election | |
![]() | Suriname | Election by electoral college | Direct election | ||
![]() | Sweden | Monarchy [163] | Election by legislature [163] | Direct election [163] | |
![]() | Switzerland | Election by legislature | Direct election | ||
![]() | Syria | Approval by referendum | Direct election |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Taiwan | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Tajikistan | Direct election | Direct election | Indirect election and appointments | |
![]() | Tanzania | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Thailand | Monarchy | Election by legislature | Direct election | Direct election and appointments |
Timor-Leste see East Timor | |||||
![]() | Togo | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Tokelau | Monarchy [164] | Rotation of village leaders [164] | Direct election [164] | |
![]() | Tonga | Monarchy | Partially direct election, partially by limited suffrage, partially ex officio | ||
![]() | Transnistria | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Trinidad and Tobago | Election by legislature | Direct election | Appointments | |
![]() | Tunisia | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Turkey | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Turkmenistan | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Turks and Caicos Islands | Monarchy [165] | Election by legislature [165] | Direct election [165] | |
![]() | Tuvalu | Monarchy [166] | Election by legislature [166] | Direct election [166] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Uganda | Direct election [167] | Direct election and appointments [167] | ||
![]() | Ukraine | Direct election [168] | Election by legislature [168] | Direct election [168] | |
![]() | United Arab Emirates | Indirect election by heads of constituent states [169] | Indirect election by heads of constituent states [169] | Appointments and indirect election [169] | |
![]() | United Kingdom | Monarchy [170] | Election by legislature [170] | Direct election [170] | Appointments, hereditary peers, and indirect election [170] |
![]() | United States | Indirect election, Election by the 50 States using their electoral college [171] | Direct election [171] | ||
![]() | Uruguay | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Uzbekistan | Direct election | Direct election | Indirect election and appointments |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Vanuatu | Election by electoral college [172] | Election by legislature [172] | Direct election [172] | |
![]() | Vatican City | Monarch elected by college of cardinals [173] | Appointment by monarch [173] | Appointment by monarch [173] | |
![]() | Venezuela | Direct election | Direct election | ||
![]() | Vietnam | Election by legislature | Direct election | ||
![]() | Virgin Islands | President of the United States [174] | Direct election [174] | Direct election |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Wallis and Futuna | President of France [175] | Appointment by president [175] | Direct election [175] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Yemen | Direct election [176] | Appointment by head of state [176] | Direct election [176] | Appointment by head of state [176] |
Country | Head of state | Head of government | Legislature | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lower house | Upper house | ||||
![]() | Zambia | Direct election [177] | Mostly direct election, some appointments [177] | ||
![]() | Zimbabwe | Direct election [178] | Direct election [178] | Mix of direct and indirect election [178] |
A unitary state is a sovereign state governed as a single entity in which the central government is the supreme authority. The central government may create administrative divisions. Such units exercise only the powers that the central government chooses to delegate. Although political power may be delegated through devolution to regional or local governments by statute, the central government may abrogate the acts of devolved governments or curtail their powers.
The national flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, also used as the flag of the Taliban, consists of a white field with a black Shahada. It was adopted on 15 August 2021 with the victory of the Taliban in the 2001–2021 war. Since the Anglo-Afghan War of 1919, also known as the War of Independence, Afghanistan has used about 19 national flags, more than any other country in this period. The national flag had black, red and green colors most of the time during the period.
A democratic republic is a form of government operating on principles adopted from a republic and a democracy. As a cross between two exceedingly similar systems, democratic republics may function on principles shared by both republics and democracies.
Sayyid Muhammad Tayyab Agha is a prominent figure in the Afghan Taliban. He was the head of the political wing of the Taliban from 2009 to 2015 and was a close aide to Taliban founder Mohammed Omar. During the Taliban government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001), he served as chief of staff to Omar, as well as his personal secretary, translator, and press spokesman.
Akhtar Muhammad Mansur was the second supreme leader of the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist political movement in Afghanistan. Succeeding the founding leader, Mullah Omar, he was the supreme leader from July 2015 to May 2016, when he was killed in a US drone strike in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Adherents of Islam constitute the world's second largest religious group. According to an estimation in 2022, Islam has 1.97 billion adherents, making up about 25% of the world population. A projection by the PEW suggests that Muslims numbered approximately 1.90 billion followers in 2020. Studies in the 21st century suggest that, in terms of percentage and worldwide spread, Islam is the fastest-growing major religion in the world, mostly because Muslims have more children than other major religious groups. Most Muslims are either of two denominations: Sunni or Shia. Islam is the majority religion in several subregions: Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, West Africa, the Sahel, and the Middle East. The diverse Asia-Pacific region contains the highest number of Muslims in the world, easily surpassing the combined Middle East and North Africa.
Hibatullah Akhundzada, also spelled Haibatullah Akhunzada, is an Afghan Islamic scholar, cleric, and jurist who is the supreme leader of Afghanistan. He has led the Taliban since 2016, and came to power with its victory over Western-backed forces in the 2001–2021 war. However, he has remained a reclusive figure, and his low profile has fueled speculations about his role in the new Taliban government, and rumours that he may be dead. Except for an undated photograph, and several audio recordings of speeches, he has almost no digital footprint.
Africa, the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, spans across six different time zone offsets from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC): UTC−01:00 to UTC+04:00. As Africa straddles the equator and tropics, there is little change in daylight hours throughout the year and as such daylight saving time is currently observed in only one country, Morocco, however it was also previously observed in several other countries.
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was a presidential republic that ruled Afghanistan from 2004 to 2021. The state was established to replace the Afghan interim (2001–2002) and transitional (2002–2004) administrations, which were formed after the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan that had toppled the partially recognized Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. However, on 15 August 2021, the country was recaptured by the Taliban, which marked the end of the 2001–2021 war, the longest war in US history. This led to the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, led by President Ashraf Ghani, and the reinstatement of the Islamic Emirate under the control of the Taliban. The United Nations still recognizes the Islamic Republic as the legitimate government of Afghanistan instead of the Islamic Emirate, the de facto ruling government. The US–Taliban deal, signed on 29 February 2020 in Qatar, was one of the critical events that caused the collapse of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Following the deal, the US dramatically reduced the number of air attacks and deprived the ANSF of a critical edge in fighting the Taliban insurgency, leading to the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
High Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (HCIEA) was a breakaway Taliban faction active in Afghanistan since 2015. The faction broke away from the Taliban in 2015 following the appointment of Akhtar Mansour as the leader of the Taliban and elected Muhammad Rasul as its leader. The faction was involved in deadly clashes with mainstream Taliban in southern and western Afghanistan, leaving scores of dead on both sides. The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan allegedly provided financial and military support to the faction, however, both the Islamic Republic and the faction denied this. Following the Taliban offensive of 2021 and the fall of Afghanistan to Taliban forces, the group dissolved, and its leaders pledged allegiance to the new government.
an autocratic political system that eschews democracy
The shura held outside Quetta unanimously elected Mullah Mansour as the new emir of the Taliban