High-Stakes Afghan Vote Paves Way For Next Hurdle: 2019 Election
- U.S. and NATO watching for signs of more stable government
- Election troubles may delay presidential vote next year
Officials count votes at a polling station after the first day of parliamentary elections in Herat, Afghanistan on Oct. 20, 2018.
Photographer: Mir Ahmad Firooz/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani has another year before he commits to seeking reelection but the weekend parliamentary polls will set the tone for any potential bid to stay in power.
Since the Taliban were ousted in a U.S. invasion in 2001, Afghan elections have been tainted by violence, ballot-stuffing and delays. A discredited poll could spill over into a fresh crisis at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to negotiate an accord with the Taliban -- with Afghan forces and the 14,000 U.S. troops stationed in the country unable to bring an end to the violence.