Observers predict fierce campaigns as Afghan runoff ballot gets started

Share

Stars and Stripes, 22 May 2014

AAN’s Martine van Bijlert with a preview on what could become problematic in the second round of Afghanistan’s presidential elections:

Both Abdullah and Ghani had hoped to win an outright majority in the first round to avoid a run-off, but their main focus was on at least qualifying for the second round of voting, said Martine van Bijlert, co-director of the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network.

She said the winner-take-all run-off promises to be a “much fiercer competition,” and a disputed result could raise tensions in the country, making the conduct and credibility of Afghanistan’s much-criticized election commissions crucial to an accepted outcome.

“If it’s a close election, it could become a contest over quite small numbers of disqualifications,” van Bijlert said. “Then it becomes extremely important that everyone trusts the decisions of the election bodies, which hasn’t been the case in the first round.”