Afghanistan: Election Hopes and Doubts

With the Taliban calling for a boycott and some in the Hazara community already complaining about interference in the voting process, this Saturday’s parliamentary elections will likely be a fractious event. Writing at The Diplomat, Karlos Zurutuza takes the temperature of Afghans in Kabul. Many seem to have already decided on a candidate for reasons ranging from shared ethnic identity to simple competence. In a hopeful sign, 410 women are running for seats in parliament according to Zurutuza. The bustle and relative safety of Kabul, however, masks the very real problem of providing security for citizens and international observers in other areas of the country. A German government envoy says that he will “…probably never leave the compound during his five-week tour” in Kunduz, while others will never leave Kabul. A member of USAID describes his mission as “…monitor[ing] the whole election process” because,  “‘If these elections turn into an embarrassing fraud like the previous ones, pressure from public opinion to end the mission in Afghanistan will be insurmountable.’”