page_title: Loya jirga
hierarchical_section_title: Loya jirga
caption_attribution_description: Chairman Hamid Karzai surrounded by supporters after his victory in balloting at the Loya Jirga, or Grand Council. He won the most votes of the 1500-member council, and will be Afghanistan's president for up to two years.
context_page_description: A loya jirga is a special type of jirga, or legal assembly, in Pashtunwali, the traditional code of laws of the Pashtun people. It is mainly organized for choosing a new head of state in case of sudden death, adopting a new constitution, or to settle national or regional issue such as war. It predates modern-day written or fixed laws and is mostly favored by the Pashtun people but to a lesser extent by other nearby groups that have been influenced by Pashtuns.
  In Afghanistan, loya jirgas have been reportedly organized since at least the early 18th century when the Hotaki and Durrani dynasties rose to power.
context_section_description: A loya jirga (Pashto: لويه جرګه‎, "grand assembly") is a special type of jirga, or legal assembly, in Pashtunwali, the traditional code of laws of the Pashtun people. It is mainly organized for choosing a new head of state in case of sudden death, adopting a new constitution, or to settle national or regional issue such as war. It predates modern-day written or fixed laws and is mostly favored by the Pashtun people but to a lesser extent by other nearby groups that have been influenced by Pashtuns (historically known as Afghans).
  In Afghanistan, loya jirgas have been reportedly organized since at least the early 18th century when the Hotaki and Durrani dynasties rose to power.
caption: Hamid Karzai appointed as President of the Afghan Transitional Administration at the 13 July 2002 loya jirga held in Kabul, Afghanistan.
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