At the second two-day meeting of the Federalists Assembly of Afghanistan and the Global Youth Leadership Network in Hanover, Germany, speakers described a federal system as the path to achieving “peace, justice, and stability” in the country. They emphasized that Afghanistan’s cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity requires a federal structure. They also described past centralized systems as a failed experience and stressed the need to establish a system based on a clear theory of the state. During the meeting, participants outlined the legal, institutional, and social prerequisites for transitioning to federalism and introduced the draft federal constitution prepared by the federalists as a tool for dialogue and national participation. The federalists also called on other political movements to present their own proposals for a post-Taliban system so that citizens and politicians can discuss the advantages and challenges of different political models. Some participants stressed that a decentralized system is merely an administrative framework and cannot resolve the country’s political and social crises.
The Federalists Assembly of Afghanistan and the Global Youth Leadership Network (Peer Leader International) held the two-day meeting under the title “Federalism: A Path Toward Social Justice, Peace, and Stability in Afghanistan” in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany. At the meeting, speakers described a federal system as the route to achieving justice, equality, and political stability in the country and emphasized that Afghanistan’s cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity necessitates a federal political system in the post-Taliban period.
The meeting, held on November 28 and 29, 2025, brought together a number of political figures and members of the Federalists Assembly of Afghanistan, including senior officials of the former government. They discussed how to establish a federal structure in Afghanistan, the ways to implement it, and the advantages of a federal system.
Abdul Latif Pedram, leader of the National Congress Party of Afghanistan and a senior member of the Federalists Assembly of Afghanistan, said in his speech that federalism provides an appropriate platform for all political, ethnic, and linguistic groups in the country. According to him, a federal system allows different political movements to govern in different states. He emphasized that Afghanistan faces disagreements over key symbols such as the flag, currency, and identity, and said that resolving these issues requires establishing a federal structure.
Mr. Pedram also addressed the state of educational institutions and said that Afghanistan’s universities currently do not produce knowledge, “even to the size of a needle’s head.” He added, “There are no great mathematicians, economists, politicians, poets, thinkers, or painters in Afghanistan.” According to him, the country’s education system is so weak that its curriculum dates back some 50 to 60 years.
He also spoke about the importance of federalism in the absence of a clear theory of the state and emphasized the need for public participation in political decision-making. He said the main problem in Afghanistan is the lack of a “scientific theory of the state,” noting that from the nineteenth century to the present, the country has failed to enter the stage of nation-state building, achieve national unity, or establish a stable political structure. According to him, the Afghan state has never been founded on a clear economic, legal, and political theory, and federalism only gains meaning once a clear theory of the state is defined and political plans are developed based on it.
Meanwhile, Sarwar Danish, the former second vice president and a senior member of the Federalists Assembly of Afghanistan, said in his speech, referring to the assembly’s draft constitution, that “peace, justice, and stability” form the vision and political philosophy of the Afghanistan federalists. He added, “In the contemporary history of Afghanistan, at least over the past one and a half centuries, we have had neither peace nor justice nor stability. Instead, we have remained trapped in an endless cycle of war and violence, systematic discrimination, political instability, and ultimately rupture and collapse.”
Mr. Danish, who delivered his speech online, described one of the main causes of Afghanistan’s current situation as the dominance of centralized systems based on the theory of the nation-state with the hegemonic approach of “one state, one nation.” He emphasized that given the plural and diverse nature of the country’s social and cultural structure, such systems have not only generated violence and conflict, but have also led to division, discrimination, and injustice, keeping the country trapped in continuous instability. According to him, the only real and fundamental solution is to establish a future political system that simultaneously guarantees “peace, justice, and stability.” He said that federalism has proven to be a successful model in countries facing conditions similar to Afghanistan.
This senior former government official, who previously supported a centralized system, said, “A decentralized system does not solve any of Afghanistan’s problems. In principle, decentralization has nothing to do with the rights of ethnic groups and minorities or with the recognition of the rights of diverse social groups. A decentralized system, like a non-concentrated system, is merely an administrative mechanism and carries no political message or content. Yet we face a political and legal problem that requires a political and legal solution, not an administrative one. The purpose of a decentralized system is only to ease the burden on the central government, not to grant authority or internal autonomy to the people of the states. Such a system merely means the delegation of authority through ordinary laws.”
Harald Klim, a German politician and head of the Peer Leader International Institute, also spoke about Germany’s experience with a federal structure and said that federalism in that country brings the government closer to the people.
Dr. Abbas Basir, the former minister of higher education and a member of the leadership council of the Federalists Assembly, emphasized the prerequisites for transitioning from a centralized system to federalism. He said the transition requires careful, program-based attention to institutional, legal, and social foundations. According to him, these prerequisites include drafting a new constitution, developing practical mechanisms to strengthen local administrations, establishing a fair system for resource distribution, and guaranteeing the rights of minorities within local structures.
Mr. Basir added that the Federalists Assembly has prepared a draft federal constitution for Afghanistan, which presents a comprehensive vision for the country’s future political system. He said the draft has created an opportunity for dialogue and collective reflection on the future political structure and has helped shape public awareness and strengthen broad-based participation in national decision-making.
He called on other political movements to take the issue of the future structure of power seriously and to enter into scientific, legal, and national dialogue on the matter from now on. According to him, postponing this debate until the post-Taliban period would eliminate vital opportunities for institutional preparedness and for designing appropriate future political structures. He added, “If you do not believe in federalism or if you have an alternative plan for Afghanistan’s future political system, we ask you to present your views. Our goal is not to impose a single option, but to open the door to national dialogue and healthy competition among different plans and theories.”
Alongside the meeting, the Federalists Assembly of Afghanistan also held roundtable discussions in which federal experts and analysts examined the issues raised and exchanged views on practical ways to implement a federal structure in Afghanistan.
The Federalists Assembly of Afghanistan is calling for the establishment of a federal structure at a time when, over the past more than four years, a number of other political movements have also held numerous meetings in different countries. These groups have emphasized the decentralization of Afghanistan’s political system and called for a joint political struggle against the Taliban. According to them, as long as the Taliban remain in control of Afghanistan, no political movement will have the opportunity to realize its goals and demands in the country. Some political figures believe that the people of Afghanistan must reclaim the country’s geography from the grip of the Taliban.
After seizing control of Afghanistan, the Taliban annulled the licenses of all political parties and banned political activity, even declaring it a “crime.” At present, no individual or political movement under Taliban rule is allowed to engage in political activity or criticize the regime.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
افغانستان و مسیر فدرالیسم؛ از بحران تا گفتوگوی ملی برای آینده کشور
