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| Afghan President Leads in Disputed Vote as Opposition Protests | Afghan President Leads in Disputed Vote as Opposition Protests |
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| KABUL, Afghanistan — President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan was on course to win a second five-year term, the country’s election commission announced Sunday, based on long-delayed preliminary results of the September vote, which has faced protests and accusations of fraud. | KABUL, Afghanistan — President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan was on course to win a second five-year term, the country’s election commission announced Sunday, based on long-delayed preliminary results of the September vote, which has faced protests and accusations of fraud. |
| In a statement, the election commission said Mr. Ghani was leading with 50.64 percent of the votes over his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, with 39.5. Although the results were not final and the outcome could still take months to finalize after another layer of vetting, Mr. Abdullah warned that his team would not accept the results until its concerns are answered about more than 15 percent of votes, which he alleges were counted without transparency. | In a statement, the election commission said Mr. Ghani was leading with 50.64 percent of the votes over his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, with 39.5. Although the results were not final and the outcome could still take months to finalize after another layer of vetting, Mr. Abdullah warned that his team would not accept the results until its concerns are answered about more than 15 percent of votes, which he alleges were counted without transparency. |
| The announcement moves a messy political crisis — which has bogged down the country for nearly three months amid a raging war and peace negotiations with the Taliban — toward a potentially dangerous showdown. | The announcement moves a messy political crisis — which has bogged down the country for nearly three months amid a raging war and peace negotiations with the Taliban — toward a potentially dangerous showdown. |
| Mr. Ghani, flanked by his running mates and surrounded by hundreds of supporters, celebrated in the presidential palace. He lamented the long delay and asked other candidates to abide by the election commission’s decision. | Mr. Ghani, flanked by his running mates and surrounded by hundreds of supporters, celebrated in the presidential palace. He lamented the long delay and asked other candidates to abide by the election commission’s decision. |
| “We pledge to create an administration that serves the people, answer to the people, and is inclusive of all of Afghanistan,” he said. “The delay in the election process created concerns for the people. The people bear the cost for any national process that is delayed.” | “We pledge to create an administration that serves the people, answer to the people, and is inclusive of all of Afghanistan,” he said. “The delay in the election process created concerns for the people. The people bear the cost for any national process that is delayed.” |
| Hours later, Mr. Abdullah addressed hundreds of his supporters at his palace, just down the road from Mr. Ghani’s, and said he did not accept the results. Weeks before the announcement, Mr. Abdullah’s supporters blocked nearly a dozen election offices across the country, with protesters holding sit-ins and preventing election workers from carrying out a vote audit. Regional leaders allied with Mr. Abdullah have threatened to forcibly take over provincial governments. | Hours later, Mr. Abdullah addressed hundreds of his supporters at his palace, just down the road from Mr. Ghani’s, and said he did not accept the results. Weeks before the announcement, Mr. Abdullah’s supporters blocked nearly a dozen election offices across the country, with protesters holding sit-ins and preventing election workers from carrying out a vote audit. Regional leaders allied with Mr. Abdullah have threatened to forcibly take over provincial governments. |
| “With all our might, we will defend the votes of the people,” Mr. Abdullah said. “Based on the clean votes of the people, we are the winners.” | “With all our might, we will defend the votes of the people,” Mr. Abdullah said. “Based on the clean votes of the people, we are the winners.” |
| Mr. Abdullah once again accused the election commission of counting fraudulent votes in favor of Mr. Ghani. He said his team will take their concerns about the 300,000 questionable votes to the Election Complaints Commission, a last stop in the vetting process before a final winner is declared. | Mr. Abdullah once again accused the election commission of counting fraudulent votes in favor of Mr. Ghani. He said his team will take their concerns about the 300,000 questionable votes to the Election Complaints Commission, a last stop in the vetting process before a final winner is declared. |
| “The damage of fraud and suicide bombing is the same to the people of Afghanistan,” he said. | “The damage of fraud and suicide bombing is the same to the people of Afghanistan,” he said. |
| This is the third time Mr. Abdullah has disputed election results after running for president. | This is the third time Mr. Abdullah has disputed election results after running for president. |
| A similar dispute between Mr. Abdullah and Mr. Ghani in 2014 went to a messy stalemate that was resolved through a power-sharing agreement brokered by John Kerry, then secretary of state. That arrangement made Mr. Ghani president and Mr. Abdullah the chief executive. This time around, with American diplomacy focused on negotiating an end to the war with the Taliban, American officials and other Western allies have made clear they will not step in to mediate. | A similar dispute between Mr. Abdullah and Mr. Ghani in 2014 went to a messy stalemate that was resolved through a power-sharing agreement brokered by John Kerry, then secretary of state. That arrangement made Mr. Ghani president and Mr. Abdullah the chief executive. This time around, with American diplomacy focused on negotiating an end to the war with the Taliban, American officials and other Western allies have made clear they will not step in to mediate. |
| The dispute is playing out as the United States continues negotiations with the Taliban to seek an end to the long war. In the fall, just as the two sides seemed on verge of a deal that would open way for Taliban negotiations with Afghans over power sharing, the election seemed unlikely. But when president Trump called off the talks with the Taliban, the Afghan the vote went ahead. | The dispute is playing out as the United States continues negotiations with the Taliban to seek an end to the long war. In the fall, just as the two sides seemed on verge of a deal that would open way for Taliban negotiations with Afghans over power sharing, the election seemed unlikely. But when president Trump called off the talks with the Taliban, the Afghan the vote went ahead. |
| A political crisis, or a bruising runoff if the vote goes to that, could weaken the Afghan government’s hand in any negotiations with the Taliban. An extended political crisis could also undermine military efforts against militants seeking to demonstrate that the government cannot protect its citizens. | A political crisis, or a bruising runoff if the vote goes to that, could weaken the Afghan government’s hand in any negotiations with the Taliban. An extended political crisis could also undermine military efforts against militants seeking to demonstrate that the government cannot protect its citizens. |
| The announcement of preliminary results came after weeks of tense discussions to find a compromise between the grievances of Mr. Abdullah’s supporters and the position of the election commission. | The announcement of preliminary results came after weeks of tense discussions to find a compromise between the grievances of Mr. Abdullah’s supporters and the position of the election commission. |
| Among the roughly 300,000 votes Mr. Abdullah disputes are 100,000 ballots registered in the system either before or after voting hours — in some cases by weeks or months. The election commission attributes the irregularities to human error in setting the time and date of devices that recorded the votes. | Among the roughly 300,000 votes Mr. Abdullah disputes are 100,000 ballots registered in the system either before or after voting hours — in some cases by weeks or months. The election commission attributes the irregularities to human error in setting the time and date of devices that recorded the votes. |
| Last week, as expectations grew that the election commission would announce initial results, Mr. Abdullah made a concession by calling on his supporters to allow the audit of the seven provinces they were blocking. He described it as a good will gesture to get the commission to reconsider its decision on the nearly 300,000 questionable votes. But the election commission did not budge. | Last week, as expectations grew that the election commission would announce initial results, Mr. Abdullah made a concession by calling on his supporters to allow the audit of the seven provinces they were blocking. He described it as a good will gesture to get the commission to reconsider its decision on the nearly 300,000 questionable votes. But the election commission did not budge. |
| The election commission, particularly its chief, Hawa Alam Nuristani, has been under tremendous pressure to announce the results. During a recent argument in a commission meeting, she broke down and wept, according to three officials. Last week, nearly six hours of televised debate with candidate representatives turned into heated quarrels and ended with no resolution. | The election commission, particularly its chief, Hawa Alam Nuristani, has been under tremendous pressure to announce the results. During a recent argument in a commission meeting, she broke down and wept, according to three officials. Last week, nearly six hours of televised debate with candidate representatives turned into heated quarrels and ended with no resolution. |
| At one point, Ms. Nuristani got into an argument with the representative of an opposition candidate and walked out. | At one point, Ms. Nuristani got into an argument with the representative of an opposition candidate and walked out. |
| “I am independent,” she said, thumping her chest as she left the room. “I have held the elections. I will announce the results.” | “I am independent,” she said, thumping her chest as she left the room. “I have held the elections. I will announce the results.” |
| She returned to her seat later. Her usual calm restored, she took to the podium and explained that it was not the criticism that had angered her, but repeated — and often sexist — insults. Her outburst was also a telling indicator of the stress the election’s uncertain outcome had placed on the country. Her predecessor and most of the previous election commissioners are in prison on charges related to the unlawful mishandling the parliamentary vote last year. | She returned to her seat later. Her usual calm restored, she took to the podium and explained that it was not the criticism that had angered her, but repeated — and often sexist — insults. Her outburst was also a telling indicator of the stress the election’s uncertain outcome had placed on the country. Her predecessor and most of the previous election commissioners are in prison on charges related to the unlawful mishandling the parliamentary vote last year. |
| “I am not a traitor,” she declared, saying that she had led the process according to the law. “I am committed to my people. I don’t want to do something that takes me to prison. I want to go work honestly and go home.” | “I am not a traitor,” she declared, saying that she had led the process according to the law. “I am committed to my people. I don’t want to do something that takes me to prison. I want to go work honestly and go home.” |
| This year’s campaign was marked by feuding and recrimination. The turnout was a historic low as about a third of the country’s polling centers did not open because they could not be secured or were in Taliban-controlled areas. The country’s election commission first said nearly 2.7 million people had voted in the nation of 35 million. But a month later, with little explanation, it revised the turnout to 1.8 million. | This year’s campaign was marked by feuding and recrimination. The turnout was a historic low as about a third of the country’s polling centers did not open because they could not be secured or were in Taliban-controlled areas. The country’s election commission first said nearly 2.7 million people had voted in the nation of 35 million. But a month later, with little explanation, it revised the turnout to 1.8 million. |
| The tickets of both Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah were fined for using government resources and allowing government officials at rallies. Both sides claimed victory just as vote counting was beginning. Low turnout meant a relatively small number of votes could have swung the election. | The tickets of both Mr. Ghani and Mr. Abdullah were fined for using government resources and allowing government officials at rallies. Both sides claimed victory just as vote counting was beginning. Low turnout meant a relatively small number of votes could have swung the election. |
| The commission decided to recount votes from 8,000 polling stations — nearly a third of 26,000 stations nationwide. But the protests continued. | The commission decided to recount votes from 8,000 polling stations — nearly a third of 26,000 stations nationwide. But the protests continued. |
| The introduction of hand-held biometric devices, supplied by the German company Dermalog, was intended to help eliminate rampant vote-buying and ballot-stuffing, which had marred past elections. But the devices complicated an already hazy vote-counting process in a country with unreliable communications and electricity. | The introduction of hand-held biometric devices, supplied by the German company Dermalog, was intended to help eliminate rampant vote-buying and ballot-stuffing, which had marred past elections. But the devices complicated an already hazy vote-counting process in a country with unreliable communications and electricity. |
| “Trying to get facts straight is a labyrinthine task,” the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a private think tank in Kabul, wrote in a detailed report as the dispute raged in early November. | |
| David Zucchino contributed reporting. | David Zucchino contributed reporting. |