Afghanistan’s election crisis

The Heat

Afghanistan's election crisis

For years, terrorism and tribal differences tore Afghanistan apart. But its first democratic transition of power almost had the same effect. With a recount now underway, will there be a peaceful outcome to April’s presidential election? Or will Afghanistan slip back into a civil war? 

There’s still no declared winner in the presidential run-off election in Afghanistan. The candidates Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani have accused each other of election fraud with Abdullah threatening to form his own government unless there was a recount. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry helped broker a last-ditch deal but as CCTV’s Sean Callebs reports, plenty of uncertainty remains.

Under the deal brokered by Kerry, there will be a government of national unity. The election-winner will be president, but the loser (or his nominee) will be “chief of the executive council”, a new position implying power-sharing. Then, after two years, there will be a loya jirga (a gathering of tribal elders, local power-brokers and elected officials) to approve constitutional changes that include the creation of the post of prime minister. He would rank below the president but have executive powers.

CCTV’s Nathan King interviews Haroun Mir, a leading political strategist from Kabul, and Ronald Neumann, former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, to talk about the transition of power in Afghanistan.

Part-II of the panel discussion: