List of political parties in Afghanistan


This article lists political parties in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has a multi-party system in development with numerous political parties, in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments. No political party is permitted to exist that advocates anything that is deemed to go against Islamic morality.
The current law governing the formation of political parties was promulgated in 2009, and requires parties to have at least 10,000 members,. The Afghan Ministry of Justice has registered 84 parties since the new law took effect.

Major parties

English nameOriginal nameIdeologyNotes
Afghanistan Motahid Millat Gowand Socialism
Secularism
Gender Equality
Hizb e Ejma-e-Milli Afghanistan Roshangaran Socialism
Secularism
Gender Equality		Founded by Mohammad Saboor Formuli
National United Party of AfghanistanNational United Party of AfghanistanSocialism
Secularism
Gender Equality
Solidarity Party of AfghanistanSolidarity party of AfghanistanSocialism
Secularism
Gender Equality
Hizb ut-TahrirHizb ut-TahrirIslamism
Afghan Peace MovementAfghan Peace MovementSocialism
Secularism
Islamic PartyHezb-e IslamiIslamismFounded and led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
Republican Party of AfghanistanHezbi Jumhori AfghanistanRepublicanismFounded by Sebghatullah Sanjar
Islamic SocietyJamiat-e IslamiIslamism
Islamic Movement of AfghanistanHarakat-e Islami-yiIslamism
Afghan Social Democratic PartyAfghan MellatSocial democracy
Islamic United Party of AfghanistanHezb-e Wahdat-e Islami AfghanistanIslamism
Islamic Dawah Organisation of AfghanistanIttehad-I Islami Bara-yi Azadi AfghanistanIslamism
National Islamic Movement of AfghanistanJunbish-i-Milli Islami AfghanistanSecularism
National Rescue FrontHezb Jabha Nijat MiliIslamism
Afghan Liberal PartyHezbe Azadikhwa AfghanistanSecularism
Moderation Party of Afghanistanحزب اعتدال افغانستانAfghan nationalism, Democracy

Minor parties

Since the coup in 1973, Afghanistan has had many different political parties. These include Mohammed Daoud Khan's National Revolutionary Party of Afghanistan, the People's Democratic Party and the Democratic Watan Party of Afghanistan from the communist era, and the Northern Alliance that took power after the Fall of Kabul in April 1992, and ran the country until the Taliban's coup in 1996.
English nameIdeologyNotes
Afghanistan Liberation OrganizationCommunism, MaoismUnderground maoist group founded in 1973 by Faiz Ahmad.
Communist Party of AfghanistanCommunism, MaoismSmall, underground Maoist party, founded in 2004. Aims to wage a people's war against the American occupation, and turn Afghanistan into a socialist state.
Democratic Watan Party of AfghanistanMarxism, Islamic socialism, secularismFormed by president Najibullah in 1990 in order to get more supporters for his socialist government. Ceased to exist as a formal party after the fall of Najibullah's government in 1992. Most members have fled the country or left the party, and many members were executed by the Taliban regime. Still claims to exist, but is not formally recognized as a party.
National Revolutionary Party of AfghanistanRepublicanism, SecularismParty founded by first president Mohammad Daoud Khan. Only legal party under his rule. Ceased to exist after a bloody military coup by the communists in 1978.
People's Democratic Party of AfghanistanCommunism, secularism, progressivismCommunist party founded in 1965. Gained power in a 1978 coup, and was the dominant party of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from 1978 to 1990. Replaced by the Democratic Watan Party in 1990.
People's Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan
Shalleh-ye JaviydCommunism, MaoismBanned in 1969 for opposing the Shah regime.
TalibanIslamism, Islamic fundamentalism, Pashtun nationalismArmed group, founded in 1994. Ruled most of the country from 1996 to 2001. Ousted and banned by the US invasion in 2001. Has been at war with the US-backed government in Afghanistan and US-led Coalition forces since.