KABUL – Afghan presidential challenger Abdullah Abdullah quit an election run-off yesterday after accusing the government of not meeting his demand for a fair vote, leaving doubts over the legitimacy of the next government.
A weakened Afghan government under President Hamid Karzai would also be a blow for US president Barack Obama as he decides whether to send up to 40,000 more US troops to fight a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.
Mr Karzai’s camp ruled out a coalition with Mr Abdullah, dashing hopes that that might have been a way out of the impasse.
Daoud Ali Najafi, chief electoral officer of the government-appointed Independent Election Commission (IEC), said Afghanistan’s constitution meant the November 7th run-off must go ahead despite Mr Abdullah’s decision. But a spokesman for UN mission chief Kai Eide voiced doubt about the practicality of this. “It’s difficult to see how there can be a run-off with only one candidate,” said UN spokesman Aleem Siddique.
Mr Abdullah’s withdrawal presents the possibility of foreign countries now being asked to put more troops at risk to secure an election in which the winner is already known. Mr Abdullah appeared to rule out any immediate chance of a power-sharing deal with Karzai in return for withdrawing, but also told his supporters not to boycott the run-off.
His voice faltering and his eyes welling with tears, he told supporters he had reached the decision “in the interests of the nation”.
“As far as I’m concerned, the decision I have reached is not to participate,” he later told reporters. “I have strong, strong reservations about the credibility of the process.”
Senior US officials said yesterday that Mr Abdullah’s decision would not complicate Mr Obama’s deliberations on the war strategy.
Secretary of state Hillary Clinton made clear the US administration would work with Mr Karzai should he remain the leader of the next government, as seems likely.
“It is now a matter for the Afghan authorities to decide on a way ahead that brings this electoral process to a conclusion in line with the Afghan constitution,” Mrs Clinton said in a statement e-mailed to reporters while she was travelling in Morocco.