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| Afghan presidential election produces no outright winner; runoff set for June 14 | Afghan presidential election produces no outright winner; runoff set for June 14 |
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| KABUL — Afghanistan’s presidential election last month produced no outright winner, authorities announced Thursday, forcing a runoff June 14 between two pro-Western front-runners who both favor signing a long-delayed security pact with Washington. | KABUL — Afghanistan’s presidential election last month produced no outright winner, authorities announced Thursday, forcing a runoff June 14 between two pro-Western front-runners who both favor signing a long-delayed security pact with Washington. |
| Security threats, stemming mostly from Taliban attacks and ethnic tensions, are regarded as main challenges to the process. | Security threats, stemming mostly from Taliban attacks and ethnic tensions, are regarded as main challenges to the process. |
| The formation of a new government based on the second round’s results will mark the first peaceful transition of power in Afghan history through the ballot. An orderly handover is also considered crucial for the stability of Afghanistan after decades of warfare. | The formation of a new government based on the second round’s results will mark the first peaceful transition of power in Afghan history through the ballot. An orderly handover is also considered crucial for the stability of Afghanistan after decades of warfare. |
| Announcing the final results of the April 5 presidential vote, Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, chairman of Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission, said Thursday that no single candidate among eight contenders won the race to succeed President Hamid Karzai, who could not run for reelection because of a term limit. | Announcing the final results of the April 5 presidential vote, Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani, chairman of Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission, said Thursday that no single candidate among eight contenders won the race to succeed President Hamid Karzai, who could not run for reelection because of a term limit. |
| “None of the candidates secured 51 percent, and the election will go into a second round,” Nuristani said. He said more than 7 million Afghans — about 58 percent of the country’s 12 million registered voters — turned out to cast ballots, despite threats from Taliban insurgents to attack polling places or punish those who participated in the election. He said 36 percent of the participating voters were women. | |
| Final results showed that former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, a top opposition leader during Karzai’s tenure, received 45 percent of the vote, short of a majority. | Final results showed that former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, a top opposition leader during Karzai’s tenure, received 45 percent of the vote, short of a majority. |
| In the runoff, Abdullah will face Ashraf Ghani, a former finance minister and World Bank economist, who came in second with 31.6 percent of the vote. | In the runoff, Abdullah will face Ashraf Ghani, a former finance minister and World Bank economist, who came in second with 31.6 percent of the vote. |
| Both will have a three-week campaign period before the June 14 runoff, Nuristani said, with final results to be announced by July 2. | Both will have a three-week campaign period before the June 14 runoff, Nuristani said, with final results to be announced by July 2. |
| Zalmay Rassoul, widely considered Karzai’s favored candidate, came in third with 11.4 percent of the vote. He recently threw his support to Abdullah. | Zalmay Rassoul, widely considered Karzai’s favored candidate, came in third with 11.4 percent of the vote. He recently threw his support to Abdullah. |
| Both Ghani and Abdullah are viewed as moderate and have pledged to work with the United States to keep up pressure on the Taliban insurgents. They have also said they would sign a bilateral security deal with the United States that allows a residual U.S. military presence in Afghanistan beyond a deadline to withdraw combat troops by the end of this year. Karzai has refused to sign the accord, insisting on leaving it to his successor. | Both Ghani and Abdullah are viewed as moderate and have pledged to work with the United States to keep up pressure on the Taliban insurgents. They have also said they would sign a bilateral security deal with the United States that allows a residual U.S. military presence in Afghanistan beyond a deadline to withdraw combat troops by the end of this year. Karzai has refused to sign the accord, insisting on leaving it to his successor. |
| The April 5 election was hailed as a major success for Afghanistan because millions of people came out to vote despite the Taliban threats. The radical Islamist insurgents had staged deadly attacks during previous elections held since they were ousted from power in 2001. | The April 5 election was hailed as a major success for Afghanistan because millions of people came out to vote despite the Taliban threats. The radical Islamist insurgents had staged deadly attacks during previous elections held since they were ousted from power in 2001. |
| The Taliban did not launch large-scale attacks on the election day, but insurgents staged a series of high-profile assaults in the run-up to the polls, including two on key Election Commission offices in Kabul. | The Taliban did not launch large-scale attacks on the election day, but insurgents staged a series of high-profile assaults in the run-up to the polls, including two on key Election Commission offices in Kabul. |
| Nuristani urged Afghans to come out and vote again in the runoff. | Nuristani urged Afghans to come out and vote again in the runoff. |
| There were no immediate comments from Abdullah or Ghani about the final results. But Abdullah in recent days has charged that fraud prevented him from winning outright in the first round and that a runoff was not necessary. Ghani has also complained about alleged vote fraud, but he has vowed to take part in the second round. | There were no immediate comments from Abdullah or Ghani about the final results. But Abdullah in recent days has charged that fraud prevented him from winning outright in the first round and that a runoff was not necessary. Ghani has also complained about alleged vote fraud, but he has vowed to take part in the second round. |
| Abdullah refused to go into a second round against Karzai after an August 2009 presidential election was marred but what independent observers said was widespread electoral fraud in favor of the incumbent. | Abdullah refused to go into a second round against Karzai after an August 2009 presidential election was marred but what independent observers said was widespread electoral fraud in favor of the incumbent. |
| Nuristani said Election Commission staffers who were involved in fraud in last month’s election will be removed from their positions and prosecuted to make sure that the runoff is clean. | Nuristani said Election Commission staffers who were involved in fraud in last month’s election will be removed from their positions and prosecuted to make sure that the runoff is clean. |
| Zekria Barakzai, an observer with an international election monitoring group, said, “Our concern is about the enthusiasm of people in the second round, fear of campaigning on ethnic lines and the election security itself.” | Zekria Barakzai, an observer with an international election monitoring group, said, “Our concern is about the enthusiasm of people in the second round, fear of campaigning on ethnic lines and the election security itself.” |