Seven Afghan asylum seekers, three women and four men, have announced their candidacy for France’s Parliament of Exiled People, a civil initiative aimed at giving voice to individuals forced into exile.

The female candidates are Shakiba Dawod, Sayara Rahmani and Fatema Haidari. The male candidates include Rohullah Sidiqullah, Inamullah Samoon, Wasel Esaqzai and Mahdi Mawodi.

Shakiba Dawod, an artist living in Paris since 2009, has entered the race in alliance with Iranian journalist Sina Entesari. In an interview with Afghanistan International, Dawod said her candidacy is grounded in personal experience and civic activism. She said she aims to represent those often silenced, women, asylum seekers, exiles and marginalised minorities.

Dawod added that her objective is to serve as a bridge between the lived realities of refugees and the decision-making structures of French society.

Another candidate, Sayara Rahmani, who has lived in France since 2016, is running alongside Rohullah Sidiqullah, a migrants’ rights advocate. Rahmani told Afghanistan International she would prioritise language education, access to housing and mental health support, particularly for women and mothers.

She also pledged to support job-seeking migrants, improve access to the labour market for women, and advocate for the inclusion of the Uzbek language within France’s immigration system.

Currently, 25 candidates from countries including Iran, Syria, Russia, Palestine, Türkiye, Tunisia, Algeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are contesting seats in the Exile Parliament.

Only individuals with official asylum-seeker status in France are eligible to vote. Voting is conducted online via the Parliament’s official website. Each voter may cast one vote for a male candidate and one for a female candidate.

Voting will remain open until Friday, 18 July, with results expected the following day.

The Parliament of Exiled People (Le Parlement des Exilés) is a non-governmental civil body created to provide a platform for advocacy and participation by those who have fled their countries due to political, social or security threats. The institution seeks to bring the voices and demands of refugees, exiles and migrants into France’s national conversation and to the attention of policymakers.