Afghanistan to Hold Parliamentary Elections in 2016 - President

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Afghanistan's parliamentary elections will be held next year, President Ashraf Ghani said Tuesday.

"The [parliamentary] election will be held between next summer and fall," Ghani said at a meeting with Electoral Reform Commission (ERC) members, as quoted by the local broadcaster TOLOnews.

During the meeting, the president stated that electoral reforms will be implemented ahead of the election, with the election date to be set by the Independent Election Commission. Ghani instructed the ERC's selection committee to begin work on bringing about electoral reforms.

Afghanistan is currently facing a political crisis after the parliament's five-year mandate expired in June. Elections have been delayed and the current parliament's term extended amid rivalry between Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, who claimed victory in the 2014 presidential election. Abdullah later joined the government with the title of chief executive officer.

As part of a conciliation deal, the ERC proposed a series of electoral reforms, including smaller voting districts, election commission restructuring and a clearer voter identification system.

Afghanistan continues to be in the state of political and social turmoil, which persists despite billions of dollars received in assistance since the US-led invasion in 2001.