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Week 6 Discussion

October 22, 2024 /

Comparing Electoral and Party Systems: Australia vs. Afghanistan

Australia and Afghanistan have very different electoral systems and political party structures. Let’s look at each country in detail:

Electoral System in Australia

Australia has a democratic system where elections are held regularly, and people have the right to vote. The main features of Australia’s electoral system include:

  1. Voting System: Australia uses a compulsory voting system, which means all citizens over the age of 18 must vote in elections. The elections use preferential voting for the House of Representatives, where voters rank candidates in order of preference​ Country Facts.
  2. Electoral Process: Australia has free and fair elections that are overseen by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). There are elections for both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and citizens can vote for their local representatives as well as state representatives​Human Development Reports.
  3. Party System: Australia has a multi-party system, with two major parties: the Liberal Party and the Australian Labor Party (ALP). Smaller parties like the Greens and Nationals also have representation. This system allows voters to have choices between different political ideologies​Human Development Reports .

Electoral System in Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s electoral system has faced many challenges, especially with the Taliban takeover in 2021. Before the Taliban, Afghanistan had elections, but they were often troubled by instability and corruption. Since the Taliban took over, the situation has changed:

  1. Voting System: Elections are currently suspended in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Before 2021, Afghanistan used the Single Non-Transferable Vote (SNTV) system for the Wolesi Jirga (Lower House of Parliament), where people voted for individual candidates rather than political parties .
  2. Electoral Process: Under Taliban control, no elections are being held. In previous years, elections were often marked by violence, fraud, and low voter turnout, which hurt the legitimacy of the process .
  3. Party System: Afghanistan does not have a strong party system. There were several political parties before the Taliban, but many of them were weak and based on individual leaders rather than strong ideologies. Now, under Taliban rule, political parties are not allowed to operate freely .

Democratic Nature of Both Countries

  1. Australia: Australia is considered a strong democracy. The Freedom House report gives Australia high scores for political rights and civil liberties. Citizens have the right to vote, speak freely, and participate in the government. The party system also allows different political views to be represented​Country Facts​Human Development Reports.
  2. Afghanistan: Afghanistan is currently non-democratic under the Taliban. The Taliban does not allow elections, and the people have very few political rights or freedoms. Under Taliban rule, many rights, especially for women and minorities, have been restricted .

Similarities and Differences

  1. Both countries had elections in the past, but the current situation in Afghanistan makes it non-democratic, while Australia remains a full democracy with regular, fair elections.
  2. Australia has a well-organized party system, while Afghanistan has struggled with weak political parties and now has no parties under Taliban rule.

Australia’s electoral system and party system are strong and democratic, giving citizens the right to vote and choose their leaders. Afghanistan, on the other hand, is currently under authoritarian rule, with no elections or political parties allowed.

Sources:

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