Karzai proclaimed winner as runoff is canceled
November 3, 2009, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AFGHANISTAN'S election commission yesterday proclaimed President Hamid Karzai the victor of the country's tumultuous ballot, canceling a planned runoff and ending a political crisis that began with a fraud-marred first round.
The cancellation of Saturday's vote came one day after former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah announced he was pulling out.
The annulment is a huge relief to organizers who were scrambling to hold the election before the onset of Afghanistan's harsh winter, as well as authorities who feared a wave of bloody violence on polling day after a Taliban spokesman threatened attacks against anyone who took part.
Independent Election Commission Chairman Azizullah Lodin announced Karzai the winner during a news conference in Kabul.
Lodin said the commission had the authority to make the decision because the Afghan constitution allows for a runoff only between two candidates. There is a chance that the decision could be contested, but the international community appears to be lining up behind the ruling.
Karzai has led Afghanistan since US forces invaded to oust the Taliban in 2001. He won elections in 2004 and his latest victory will give him another five-year mandate. The mass ballot-box stuffing that characterized the August 20 vote sullied Karzai's reputation, however.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on a trip to Kabul, welcomed the decision to forego the runoff.
"Afghanistan now faces significant challenges and the new president must move swiftly to form a government that is able to command the support of both the Afghan people and the international community," Ban said.
The cancellation of Saturday's vote came one day after former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah announced he was pulling out.
The annulment is a huge relief to organizers who were scrambling to hold the election before the onset of Afghanistan's harsh winter, as well as authorities who feared a wave of bloody violence on polling day after a Taliban spokesman threatened attacks against anyone who took part.
Independent Election Commission Chairman Azizullah Lodin announced Karzai the winner during a news conference in Kabul.
Lodin said the commission had the authority to make the decision because the Afghan constitution allows for a runoff only between two candidates. There is a chance that the decision could be contested, but the international community appears to be lining up behind the ruling.
Karzai has led Afghanistan since US forces invaded to oust the Taliban in 2001. He won elections in 2004 and his latest victory will give him another five-year mandate. The mass ballot-box stuffing that characterized the August 20 vote sullied Karzai's reputation, however.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on a trip to Kabul, welcomed the decision to forego the runoff.
"Afghanistan now faces significant challenges and the new president must move swiftly to form a government that is able to command the support of both the Afghan people and the international community," Ban said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
