This report reviews Afghanistan’s 2014 presidential election and the related political contests. Drawing on interviews in Kabul and the work of researchers in several provinces, this study does not seek an exact determination of the extent to which the results indicated voter preferences, in part because any election during an escalating civil war will never reflect the full range of popular opinion. It is also beyond the scope of this report to make any assessment of the 2,595 candidates contesting 458 provincial council seats. The paper focuses on the politics behind the presidential contest, analysing the causes and consequences of the ensuing crisis in Kabul, and looking at ways of mitigating risks and seizing opportunities.