hold the reins

The 65-year-old, who took office in late 2021, also made clear that he expects to hold the reins in Berlin for some time.

Democrats hold the reins of power, with solid majorities in the state House and Senate, as well as every statewide elected office.

Still, it was unclear if and how much Stanikzai could sway hard-liners, who appear to hold the reins in the Taliban administration.

Although a center-left party defeated the LDP in 2009, it managed to hold the reins of government for only three years — collapsing amid charges of incompetence.

But even in a moment hailed by some as a triumph for Pakistan’s fragile democratic institutions, the crisis offered a stark reminder that in the country’s deeply compromised political system, powerful military leaders still hold the reins.