Speakers’ Conferences
This briefing summarises the operation and subject of previous Speakers' Conferences

This note looks at the political system in Afghanistan in the wake of the 2010 parliamentary elections and the moves towards reintegration and a negotiated settlement with the Taliban.
Political developments in Afghanistan (148 KB , PDF)
This note looks at the political system in Afghanistan in the wake of the 2010 parliamentary elections and the moves towards reintegration and a negotiated settlement with the Taliban.
This note looks at the political system Afghanistan in the wake of the 2010 parliamentary elections and the moves towards reintegration and a negotiated settlement with the Taliban.
• Politics in Afghanistan are unpredictable and some institutions work much better than others, with the parliament showing signs of independence
• The Presidency still has much more power than other national institutions, but in global terms it is weak
• Patronage and corruption may be on the rise
• Both Karzai and Obama have made personnel changes which may be preparations for a faster move towards negotiations with the insurgency
• Inter-ethnic tensions, particularly associated with the Afghan army and other security-related institutions, is reported to be on the increase and non-Pashtuns generally oppose negotiations with the Taliban
• A real commitment from Afghanistan’s neighbours to foster stability would make a big difference. It is not clear that this is forthcoming, particularly in the case of Pakistan and India, who may play out their rivalries in Afghanistan
• The possibility of a resurgence of instability or even of civil war when Coalition forces withdraw cannot be ruled out
Political developments in Afghanistan (148 KB , PDF)
This briefing summarises the operation and subject of previous Speakers' Conferences
A briefing paper on the legal issues surrounding a Scottish independence referendum
The debate on 6 July will focus on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spending and the new international development strategy, published in May 2022.