Anna Larson
Summary
In 2021, a stable and democratic Afghanistan remains an elusive prospect due to the continued use and threat of violence by the Taliban and competing political actors, the executive stranglehold on government appointments, and international engagement focused solely on election days.
Even so, more flexible, lower-cost US engagement may yet produce results that can bolster democracy and encourage stability if incorporated into any forthcoming political settlement.
Any system of governance in which the Taliban have a stake will need to include elections of some kind. The Afghan people have become accustomed to participating in the democratic process. Despite widespread electoral fraud, elections remain popular.
Establishing local structures that facilitate stronger connections between citizens and their representatives will give legitimacy and stability to the political process going forward.
Allowing communities to decide how to select local leaders and conduct local elections could allow more cooperation between formal and informal systems of governance. This flexible approach could make elections more attractive to Taliban leaders.
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