Afghan Ambassador to Switzerland Declares Taliban Rule Illegitimate
Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Switzerland, stated that the Taliban administration has no national, legal, or religious legitimacy to govern the Afghan people and that their claim to the right to rule lacks value and credibility.
On Thursday, February 12, he wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) page that the Taliban administration operates without the vote and will of the nation and in the absence of a constitution. According to him, the lack of international recognition, absence of national consensus, and the failure to hold a traditional assembly (Loya Jirga) or widely accepted popular mechanisms are among the main reasons for the administration’s illegitimacy.
Andisha emphasized that political sovereignty in Afghanistan must be based on national and legal principles and rely on the will of the people. He added that no individual or group can claim the right to govern without public consent and the presence of legally elected representatives of the people.
The Afghan ambassador to Switzerland also referred to the religious dimension of the issue, stating that legitimacy within Islamic teachings also depends on the consent of the people. In his view, no ruler can claim divine legitimacy without public acceptance, and no group has the right to exclusively interpret Sharia law.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the issue of the administration’s domestic and international legitimacy has been a central topic in Afghanistan’s political discourse, and so far, no country in the world has recognized it.
