House of the People (Afghanistan)

The House of the People, also known as the Wolesi Jirga (Pashto: ولسي جرګه, Dari: ولسی جرگه), was the lower house of the bicameral National Assembly of Afghanistan. The Wolesi Jirga was, according to the 2004 Constitution, the primary legislative body in Afghanistan.

Members of the Wolesi Jirga were directly elected by popular vote through a system of single non-transferable vote (SNTV) in multi-member constituencies, based on province boundaries. The number of seats allocated to each province was determined by its population. The Constitution mandated that at least 68 of the 250 seats be reserved for women.

The Wolesi Jirga was responsible for drafting and ratifying laws, approving presidential appointments, and overseeing the executive branch. It also had the power to impeach the president. A simple majority vote was required to pass most legislation, but a two-thirds majority was necessary for constitutional amendments.

Following the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in August 2021 and the Taliban's takeover, the Wolesi Jirga was effectively dissolved. The current status of the legislative branch in Afghanistan remains unclear under the Taliban regime. The Taliban has not yet established a formal constitution or electoral system, and there is no functioning legislature currently operating in the country. The group claims to be governing according to Islamic law.