The Afghan election commission will delay the parliamentary elections due this year. Instead of the May 22 a date set under the constitution, Afghan people will cast their ballots on Sept. 18, reported RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan.
The reasons behind the committee’s decision were cited as a lack of money, security concerns and logistical obstacles. The postponement will also give more time for implementing the electoral reforms planned to prevent a repeat of the large-scale fraud that occurred during the President Hamid Karzai’s re-election last year.
The U.N. set aside several tens of millions of dollars for the Afghanistan elections, but Reuters reported that the diplomats don’t want to release the sum until certain reforms are implemented in the country.
Afghan election authorities said that they would need around $50 million from international donors. The total cost of the parliamentary elections are expected to come in at about $120 million.
The decision to postpone the elections comes just a week before London will host a conference on Afghanistan focusing on improving the political system and security issues.
The last important poll in Afghanistan was the presidential election in August last year. Since no candidate received more that 50 percent of the vote, a second round was was to take place, but was later canceled.
Due to fraud, the U.N. commission in October, annulled about one third of the votes cast in favor of the incumbent President Hamid Karzai. His main opponent Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew from the runoff election, saying that the government was not able to guarantee a fair and transparent election process. Karzai was then declared president, which sparked a wave of protests throughout the country.
The Afghan Parliament twice this month vetoed most of President Karzai’s proposals for the new cabinet. As a result, 11 cabinet posts currently remain vacant.
Western nations plan to increase the number of foreign troops in the country, as well as strengthen the Afghan army from 97,000 troops to a projected 171,600 troops by the end of the next year.
U.S. President Barack Obama announced he will send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, while other NATO members pledged another 7,000 soldiers.
The reasons behind the committee’s decision were cited as a lack of money, security concerns and logistical obstacles. The postponement will also give more time for implementing the electoral reforms planned to prevent a repeat of the large-scale fraud that occurred during the President Hamid Karzai’s re-election last year.
The U.N. set aside several tens of millions of dollars for the Afghanistan elections, but Reuters reported that the diplomats don’t want to release the sum until certain reforms are implemented in the country.
Afghan election authorities said that they would need around $50 million from international donors. The total cost of the parliamentary elections are expected to come in at about $120 million.
The decision to postpone the elections comes just a week before London will host a conference on Afghanistan focusing on improving the political system and security issues.
The last important poll in Afghanistan was the presidential election in August last year. Since no candidate received more that 50 percent of the vote, a second round was was to take place, but was later canceled.
Due to fraud, the U.N. commission in October, annulled about one third of the votes cast in favor of the incumbent President Hamid Karzai. His main opponent Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew from the runoff election, saying that the government was not able to guarantee a fair and transparent election process. Karzai was then declared president, which sparked a wave of protests throughout the country.
The Afghan Parliament twice this month vetoed most of President Karzai’s proposals for the new cabinet. As a result, 11 cabinet posts currently remain vacant.
Western nations plan to increase the number of foreign troops in the country, as well as strengthen the Afghan army from 97,000 troops to a projected 171,600 troops by the end of the next year.
U.S. President Barack Obama announced he will send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, while other NATO members pledged another 7,000 soldiers.
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