Afghanistan: Ready for Fall Elections?

Candice Rondeaux writing in The Washington Post argues that unless substantial electoral reform, increases in transparency, and a firm U.S commitment to secure polling centers all take place soon, Afghanistan’s upcoming parliamentary elections should be postponed from their scheduled date of September 18. Rondeaux proposes that with security at an all-time low in the country, Afghanistan cannot weather another fraudulent, destabilizing election, stating, “Another failure by the international community to confront the electoral system’s flaws will deliver a death blow to Afghanistan’s fragile state institutions and substantially reduce the possibility of making any kind of progress.” She mentions a host of unresolved problems in the electoral processes, including ballot stuffing, a flawed voter registry, the presence of corrupt officials who remain in power from the last round of elections, the international community’s failure to use its veto power on the Electoral Complaints Commission, and the break-down of vetting processes intended to keep known criminals and warlords off of the ballot

Rondeaux notes the importance of the elections, saying that “many Afghans have grown deeply skeptical of democratic processes. Polling and our own research have found that most agree, however, that having some choice in how they are governed and who governs them is better than having no choice at all. They also recognize that members of parliament are more vital to preserving their day-to-day interests than the president or politically toothless provincial councils.” Nevertheless, she cautions that holding the elections in the fall without the necessary reforms and preparation could prove a “disaster” and represent a win only for insurgents.