@Werner Laferier
"September 18, 2005
Democracy and Afghanistan
More than six
million Afghans turn out to vote for the Wolesi Jirga (Council of
People), the Meshrano Jirga (Council of Elders), and local councils.
Considered the most democratic elections ever in Afghanistan, nearly
half those casting ballots are women, viewed as a sign of political
progress in a highly patriarchal and conservative society. Sixty-eight
out of 249 seats are set aside for female members of Afghanistan’s lower
house of parliament and 23 out of 102 are reserved in the upper house."