Elections Afghanistan

This year’s election is not the first fraudulent election the country has experienced. An assess of the structure of power and the behavior of Afghanistan's elites vis-à-vis democratic forms of power.

What can we make out of a deadlocked electoral result, with seemingly contradictory stories from the candidates? A graphical analysis shows: Ghani's second round numerical victory was brought about by finding 1.3 million new votes and depositing them in key spots.

Officially there are no legal obstacles to women participating in politics in Afghanistan. However only one woman registered as a presidential candidate among many men, making discrimination against women in Afghan politics obvious.

Simia Ramish is a civil rights activist and journalist. As a candidate in the Herat provincial council election she aims to play an active role in politics. In this interview she explains her goals and wishes for Afghanistan.

Habibullah Haqtash is a young candidate for the Kabul provincial council election. He studied political science at Kateb University and is active in social and cultural affairs. We spoke with him about his wishes and dreams for Afghanistan.

Days before the presidential elections in Afghanistan much is discussed amongst the candidates: foreign policies, economic development and reconstruction of the country. No or little attention is being paid to environmental protection, neither from the candidates nor from the people.

The international community will play an important but secondary role in Afghanistan’s future as Afghans work to create a more sustainable state through strengthening their political consensus, , building their economy, and increasing security.

Even though Afghanistan has a long track record of ballot stuffing, electoral fraud, and general impunity for well-connected and well-armed lawbreakers, there are limits to the lengths to which a candidate may go in seeking victory. To win in an Afghan election, one must engage in large scale vote-buying, collusion or corruption.

As international troops begin to withdraw from Afghanistan, it is important to focus on strengthening the civilian component of international assistance beyond 2014. In order to discuss concrete recommendations for the various challenges facing Afghanistan, the Heinrich Böll Stiftung and the Center for American Progress held consultation workshops for a large group of civil society actors in Afghanistan in November 2012 and March 2013, and brought a delegation of Afghan civil society leaders to Washington, DC and New York City in February 2013.