As the Afghan and U.S. governments negotiate peace with the Taliban, Afghanistan is wrestling with an old issue; how much power should be in the hands of the national government versus provincial and city leaders? This is not a uniquely Afghan question, but it’s a particularly acute one in a country that has disintegrated into violence many times in recent decades. There are no easy answers to adjustments like this, but a civil conversation should take place among Afghan citizens, politicians, and officials about how best to share powers to ensure peace and security for Afghans.
Afghanistan is among the most highly centralized states in the world with an extremely strong presidency that has left little room for formal local structures to fill the vacuum. Yet, the center’s power, given the country’s remote provinces and poor infrastructure and institutions, has also been insufficient to control the country. Decentralization of current presidential powers should not be about breaking the country apart or causing partition. Instead, it should be a quest for practical solutions to endless violence. Putting too much power in one person’s hands can lead to injustices and inequalities in even the most stable nations. Decentralization, on the other hand, could produce more support for the national government and greater trust in provincial and local systems, allowing the Afghan people to take control of their own political destiny.
